


Icarus

by phantomessangel



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: AU, Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Hurt/Comfort, New character meetings, Re-imagining the plot, Romance, Slow Burn, playing with the timeline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21870277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomessangel/pseuds/phantomessangel
Summary: “Why are you helping me?”The question left her lips before she could think to hard on the implication of her comment.Lucy hazarded a glance towards Natsu, watching the man’s eyes narrow in thought as he scratched the back of his head absently, lips pursing for a moment before he spoke.“To tell ya the truth, I don’t really know” he remarked off-handedly, his smile only faltering for a moment. “That goat man seemed pretty certain that I could help ya, but I don’t right know why I decided to or what I can offer you anyway.”He stopped speaking, his gaze flittering towards her neck.“Though I will say that there’s something familiar about that necklace of yours...”With her memory gone and unsure of just who she was (other than knowing her name), Lucy raced to complete her mission: get to Fairy Tail and find Salamander. Little did she know, though, that he’d find her first, sending both of them down a path that could very well cost both Lucy and Natsu their lives.
Relationships: Layla Heartfilia & Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel & Happy, Natsu Dragneel/Igneel, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia
Comments: 25
Kudos: 59





	1. Forgetting

**Prologue:**

"Come on!" He shouted, above the roaring wind, his hand stretching towards her, trying desperately to link their fingers together. He was scowling, face contorted into a furious, frantic glare-though it seemed directed at the situation rather than her.

"Don't you give up on me now! Just reach a little more. You can do it!" His hair was whipped about his face, framing his horrified, infuriated frown.

Above them, another crack of lightning shocked the sky, making her shudder, as she tried to push towards him, stretching her arm as far as she could, her feet scraping against the rock, sneakers sliding.

There was a hint of desperation in his voice and she noted the wild panic that flittered through his rich, emerald eyes as he grit his teeth and knit his brows together in concentration, leaning down towards her, fingers arching.

He wouldn't let her fall, wouldn't let her go.

He'd declared that to her, many times already.

Even if she'd asked him to.

Her fingers kissed against the tips of his own before the ledge gave way and she felt herself slipping. Her own panic soared as numbness continued to seep into her joints, the rain haraguing them both, splattering into her eyes, mixing with the saltiness already present there.

"Don't you dare let go," He growled again, trying desperately to maneuver closer, pink hair now matted against his head, small tendrils of warmth shooting from his fingertips towards her own, reminding her of the warmth of sunlight on a summer day. His eyes blazed as richly as molten emeralds with an intensity that bordered on frightening as he gazed down at her, straining to reach, to keep hold.

"Don't you dare give up. I'm here. I'm always going to be here, I promise. Just keep holding on."

'What an idiot' she thought wryly, as her hands slipped, the rock and mud beneath her fingers finally crumbling from the assault of rain and added strain of her weight.

'Making promises he couldn't hope to keep. What an idiot.'

She heard his desperate shout above the roar of thunder, saw the shockwave of horror mar his face as she plummeted, knowing that he'd never make it in time to catch her.

**Chapter 1: Forgetting**

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown"-H.P. Lovecraft

"Come on Happy!" Natsu crowed, not bothering to look back at his friend, his eyes, instead, narrowed on the bright light in the sky as it cascaded towards the of a nearby hilltop. He knew the little blue cat was close behind, probably scouting the terrain from his position in the sky. Happy never strayed too far from his side, for which he was grateful.

Tightening his hold on the straps of his pack and hastening his pace, Natsu kept a firmly fixed gaze on the bright light that sparked across the inky blue skyline, skimming the tops of the trees.

It'd started about an hour ago. He'd been thoroughly dejected by the lack of Igneel's presence, lack of witnesses to a dragon being anywhere near the port town, and dejected by the fact that once again, he'd gone on a fool's errand.

He certainly felt the fool this time.

He cursed himself for ever believing that 'tip' he'd received at the guild. The letter was too good to be true, but like a blithering idiot, he'd gone along with it (enduring a six hour train ride to boot).

His stomach gave an ungrateful lurch at the memory and Natsu frowned and rubbed his middle comfortingly.

Maybe it'd all be worth it this time.

Though his initial impression of Hargeon, and the letter which detailed a rumor of a Salamander wandering about the city, hadn't been too encouraging or believable, this rare sight in the sky was enough to motivate him to investigate. Afterall, it'd been in the letter.

' _The starfall will guide. Follow the silverbird.'_

Now Natsu knew he wasn't the smartest in the guild. Nor did he claim to completely understand just what the letter had meant by a 'silverbird' that he had to follow, but so eager was he to find Igneel that he hadn't bothered to waste time recruiting anyone else like Levy or Erza to help him decipher the cryptic wording.

Frankly, part of him didn't dare. He feared they'd call him an idiot for placing so much hope on a letter, an unmarked letter at that. No return address, no name associated with it. Just an envelope with his name written in loopy, scrawling letters.

And he'd already been gone so frequently the last six months, training and searching for Igneel-any scent or sign of him-that he suspected his guildmates thought him slightly crazy.

Or maybe they pitied him…

Natsu shook his head to dispel that unpleasant thought.

No, as much as he loved his guildmates, and knew they cared for him, there were some things that he had to do on his own, some longings that only he knew of. If he could find him, find Igneel again, it'd all be worth it. All the lost nights staring up at the sky, wondering why he'd been left behind, cast off, would all make sense. He was sure of it.

But no one really knew why it mattered so much to him. Sure, they understood the sadness of missing someone so special to him, but they didn't understand the sorrow he felt at being forgotten. He didn't feel whole, didn't feel like he fit in fully with his guildmates. There was something different about him, something missing, something Igneel could fix. He knew that, deep down.

And so far, as he peered at the sky, there was hope still shining that this time, it would be different. Maybe, just maybe Igneel would be here.

From his position, it almost looked like a shooting star was sailing overhead, coming to rest atop the mountain, brilliant flashes of light skimming the surface of the earth. The moment that light had erupted across the heavens, about an hour after sunset, his curiosity and eagerness got the best of him, renewing his hope that something about the letter he'd received had been true.

He felt a twinge of delight grow in his chest at the cascading beams of light overhead-despite the nagging suspicion he always carried when word circulated about potential dragon sightings. However, he couldn't deny his general hopeful nature, and his need to quell the gnawing loneliness and longing he felt to see Igneel again. He had to believe in something, hope for something.

He wanted to believe in the letter that Mirajane had dropped into his lap that day at the guild, with no postmark or return address (a suspicious thing in its own right). And he wanted to believe that someone had truly seen Igneel, that they weren't trying to trick, fool, or trap him.

He wanted to believe that something good was out there waiting for him. And, perhaps, this light, this shooting star, could be pointing towards that good ending, and Igneel.

The alternative option seemed too crushing a thought to consider.

The fire wizard shook his head to dispel the negative thoughts and squared his shoulders, fingers curling around the straps of his bag in determination.

"We have to hurry!" Natsu remarked again to his ever-constant companion, who grumbled in reply, as the salmon-haired young man pushed into the treeline, leaving the lapping waves of the port city behind.

'Please let it be him'

* * *

There was music, the soft humming vibrations of a familiar tune working their way through her ears, striking an aching chord of familiarity within her chest. The voice, the humming belonged to, made her want to cry in longing even as she felt her senses dulling, vision dimming, thoughts straying. She could no longer identify who that voice belonged to. All she knew, without question was that she'd miss that voice, miss the hints of a smile she detected in the dulcet tones.

Her fingers twitched, trying to move, to reach out and grasp onto the fading image, the fading face. The eyes, rich caramel colored orbs of goodness and sorrow, and the hair-golden strands that framed a kind face-beckoned her to sleep, to rest, to forget.

She knew she'd miss her…whoever it might be.

Lucy let her eyes finally slip closed, feeling the rushing waves of wind lick across her cheeks and tickle her nose as her mind slipped into a forgetful oblivion, no matter how hard she tried to remember. All she knew was numbness, darkness, and exhaustion.

And a crushing ache in her chest that she couldn't ease.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lucy. I tried to protect her. But I'll keep my promise to her to protect you." The man's voice was soothing, familiar, and strained. She could feel the resignation and the grief in his words. But, as he spoke, she felt weightless in that moment, caught between the land of dreams and reality though she couldn't ignore the aching pain in the man's voice as it tickled her ear.

"I'll ease the pain for now, temper the memories. As she requested. I'm so sorry, Miss Lucy."

There was a sudden burst of warmth that rolled over her senses, burrowing into her veins. She felt as though she were on fire, warm, secure, and safe.

And Lucy drifted...

* * *

He and Happy were halfway through a thicket of trees when Natsu watched the light-the constant starshine that was rocketing across the inky blue, evening skyline-suddenly blink out as it collided with the earthy hilltop high above them. The bright object flared once as it made landfall before snuffing out completely.

Natsu blinked a few times to clear his vision of the spots that danced before him from staring at the bright light for so long, as a sense of foreboding filled him at the sudden loss of light, his hope wavering. He wondered, for a brief moment, if he'd been chasing a ghost this whole time, setting his hopes on a star that had finally died before him.

That is, until something foreign and yet familiar assaulted Natsu's senses as the shockwave from the falling star sent a small dust cloud his way. He inhaled deeply, letting the heady scent fill his nostrils, washing over him. He knew that smell, though he wasn't completely sure how or why he knew it.

But, it was familiar enough, and reminded him of Igneel-though he knew it wasn't Igneel's scent-and it was tantalizing enough to keep his hope burning in his chest.

His fingers danced and tingled with anticipation and eagerness as he let a grin slip across his face, squinting towards the mountain top as he inhaled again, his confidence and hope rising.

* * *

The first sensation that called her to wakefulness was the searing pain in her shoulder and side and the horrifying sense of panic that rippled through her senses, though she couldn't pinpoint why she felt panicked.

Lucy let out a harsh gasp as she came back to herself, her lungs protesting the sudden infiltration of oxygen to her body while her heart hammered wildly in her chest.

She blinked a few times, trying to steady her vision and quell the nausea that roiled in her stomach,swallowing back the thickness in her throat. The shadows above her curled and twisted, making it difficult to decipher where she was.

Everything felt muddled in her head, images and memories muffled by the fierce aching knot in the back of her skull, which made her ears ring and eyes water.

Lucy arched her back and immediately regretted it. She let out a low hiss as her side and shoulder continued to protest movement, shooting tendrils of agony through each of her muscles. Even breathing hurt.

She blinked a few more times, willing the bile back down, hoping the blurred images would still long enough to get to her feet. The sense of urgency that had shocked her awake continued to batter against her senses, the fight to complete her mission begging her to rise.

She needed to rise.

Sucking in a deep breath, the girl ignored the way her lungs shuddered and focused, instead, on slowly rolling to her left, onto the uninjured side and then onto her stomach. The ground was damp beneath her cheek and Lucy's eyes fluttered closed momentarily as a bone-aching weariness assaulted her and the nighttime scenery melded together into an indistinguishable mass of inky unfamiliarity. She let out a low groan as her side throbbed again.

She had to rise.

'Come on Lucy' she intoned silently, her nails digging into the soft earth 'You have to do this. You made a promise'

At least, she _thought_ she'd made a promise to someone. Someone important. But, she couldn't…

Lucy shook her head lightly and made another move to lift herself, shifting her weight so that she slowly rocked forward and clamored to her knees. Her arms shook and injured shoulder nearly buckled in protest at the weight she'd been putting on it but the constant thrumming in her senses drove her forward, begging her to keep moving.

She had to rise.

Lucy lifted her head carefully and peered around, the world about her bouncing and twisting as she did so, though it stayed still long enough for her to decipher that she had absolutely no idea where she was.

Nor did she understand how she'd gotten there.

Sucking in a breath and ignoring the way her side sent licks of fiery pain through her, Lucy scraped her feet against the ground and pushed herself upward, stumbling and nearly falling face first back onto the ground. Rocking back and shifting her shoulder, the girl fumbled her way to her feet and her hands reached towards what she assumed was a tree. Her fingers brushed against the spiny, rough bark and Lucy let herself sag lightly against the stalwart edifice, her energy already spent.

She swallowed back the bile a third time and blinked a few more times, thankful her vision finally started to settle ,though with the darkness looming around her, she wasn't sure how much use it'd be. She could just make out the shapes of trees against the night sky, but she couldn't fathom deciphering landmarks or anything familiar. The shadows loomed above and around her, feeling more like spectres than innocuous plant life.

Lucy felt a jolt of panic well in her chest, making each breath she drew feel heavy in her lungs. She wanted to go home, but didn't know what or where home was.

She couldn't recall anything except the nagging, persistent urgency to complete her mission. And so far, that seemed an impossible task.

'Stop' she chided herself, urging her feet to move forward slowly, 'You have to move forward, keep going. You made a promise. Quit whining and get moving. You're stronger than that. You have to do this.'

She took another step, trying to ignore the way her side forced a hiss of protest from her lips, the searing pain reverberating through her senses. In the darkness, she couldn't tell what the problem was, but she was certain it wasn't going to be a pretty sight when she did see it.

She took yet another step, feeling along the treeline, her fingers skimming rough bark, occasionally brushing against leaves and twigs of the outer, low-lying branches in her path. Her hips skittered by a few bushes and she resisted the urge to shy away from the plant life as some foreign animal darted across her foot.

She didn't want to think about what it might be, no matter how small it was. There was something terrifying about the night, about the unknown.

Of course, even if the animal were small, that certainly didn't stop the invasion of unwanted speculation of what _other, LARGER_ animals were out there, lurking in the bushes, waiting for their moment to pounce…

Lucy swallowed back the sudden onslaught of fear that tickled her spine and squared her shaking shoulders and continued pushing forward, the nagging, persistent urgency to figure out her bearings and complete her mission, whirring in her head.

But, naturally, it begged the question of just why she needed to complete this mission in the first place. And given that she knew that this was far from a normal situation, Lucy was unabashedly curious. She didn't like feeling confused or uncertain of things. It made her feel a bit helpless when she did find herself in a pinch like that, and Lucy was never one to enjoy feeling helpless or weak.

But, the more Lucy tried to contemplate the 'whys' and 'whats' of her task, and her current state of disarray and confusion, prickles of pain wormed their way through her skull, making it difficult to piece anything together. This, of course, rankled her annoyance and frustration and made her feel the slightest tick of panic.

She didn't understand anything, didn't remember anything, and it scared her.

Her fingers skimmed along more low-lying branches, skittering over the prickly bark of trees

There were a few blurred images, a woman, instructing her to complete this task…

But before or after that? Nothing. No inkling of her past, the current present issues, and how her completion of this task would benefit anyone.

But, what could she do other than press forward and hope that at some point, things would sort themselves out and her hazy thoughts would clear?

Lucy sucked in another deep breath, pushing her urge to wince aside as she focused on the way the night air rippled across her bare arms, causing gooseflesh to prickle her skin. She trained her senses to contemplate the heady scent of pine and damp earth as her fingers skimmed dewdrops and velvet leaves.

She felt a sliver of comfort in these sensations that weren't wholly unfamiliar and disconcerting and revelled in the sense of calm that encapsulated her as he clung to the soft, stillness of the nightlife around her.

That is, until the rustling of leaves sent her shoulders stiffening out of reflex. She tensed more, as the noises grew louder, the movements of...whatever it was…becoming more frantic and frenzied.

This was no animal. Of that she was certain.

Lucy willed her legs to cease shaking and tried to clear her throat and turned towards the sound, silently cursing her hazy vision. More than anything, she didn't like the thought of being caught completely unaware.

She took a step back as she noted a shadow shift from the leaves and angle towards her. The figure was larger-much larger-than any harmless animal she could think of and Lucy's heart hammered in her chest as she took another step to move away from the creature.

"Lucy Heartfilia, at last."

The voice was mirthless, condescending, and biting and the girl choked back a squawk of surprise at the familiarity of that voice, as the shape straightened, standing tall and looming over the girl, whose eyes still had yet to adjust to the dim lighting and the aching in her head, shoulder, and side. She knew him, even if she couldn't decipher his face. She knew she knew him.

She took another step away (stumbled, really) from the creature-the man-who was now slowly stalking towards her, his gait predatory and calculated, from what the girl could ascertain.

"Come now, child," he crooned softly, his voice a deep timbre, silky and confident, "I didn't believe you'd be stupid enough to try this absurd escape ploy." The man paused for a moment before snorting, "But, really, given that you're exactly like your mother, I should have expected nothing less. That was a mistake on my part, one that I won't allow to happen again."

Lucy frowned, her heart hammering in her chest. Despite the gentleness of his tone, there was an undercurrent of malice that she could _feel_ radiating off the man and it set her on edge. She knew herself to be Lucy (though the name Heartfilia felt foreign enough to confuse her) but everything about 'escapes' and her mother left the girl concerned and a little curious to the point where she warred with herself on whether to trust the man long enough to figure out what was going on, where her mother was, and why she found herself in the middle of it all.

Her better judgment, though, overrode curiosity and she took another step away from the man, pursing her lips into a thin line, squinting to try to decipher his face a little better.

She knew he was dangerous.

"Leave me alone" she huffed out in a breathy whisper, her voice shaking as much as her limbs, though whether from exhaustion or adrenaline, she wasn't sure. .

She didn't feel confident, but sent a glare the man's way regardless. There was something decidedly off about the brute before her, despite her inability to decipher what he looked like when not encased in shadows.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of intimidating her.

"Oh ho!" He suddenly crowed, coming to stand before her, "I see the problem now!"

And with a flick of his wrist and a snap of his fingers, the area about them was suddenly bathed in a soft, orange glow.

Lucy shrank back in surprise.

"You couldn't see me. Forgive me my lapse of manners!"

The eerie hues of light brought Lucy's world into a sharper focus And the man smirked at this, his unnaturally white teeth nearly shimmering in the orange firelight that highlighted his rich, dark eyes.

There was a jolt of familiarity that sparked through her as she peered at the man's face, even with her hazy vision. She recognized his clothes-this simple white robe and dark pants-and his short white-blonde hair spiked in a haphazard fashion. And she certainly remembered that unnaturally large cross he bore, but couldn't place how she was familiar with that cross, the man's name, nor why the viage of him sent trills of dread down her spine. The panic that thrummed through her veins, sent warning bells ringing in her ears.

She was right not to trust him, even if she didn't know why just yet.

The man grinned towards her his abnormally white teeth sparkling in the orange hues that surrounded them.

"Now, dear Lucy," He simpered, "Don't tell me you've forgotten me already?"

He tried to sound offended, but Lucy detected the dark mirth in the man's tone.

The girl blinked a few times, letting her vision slowly steady, watching as each piece of the man's face started to become more defined, permanent, and terrifying.

She did recognize him, did remember him…

Or at least she remembered the fear she felt for him.

The man chuckled as he watched her.

"Ah, she took them, eh? Took those pesky memories from you? Didn't want you to be in danger, I see."

The man paused, his gaze going thoughtful for a moment as he frowned at the girl.

"Or maybe you took them yourself? Wanted to protect the others did you?"

"Come on now!" Another voice cut in from her left, making Lucy jump and the first man roll his eyes.

This voice was much deeper, and more feral sounding than the man who stood before her.

"This is such a waste of time! Let's just a blast a hole through her and be done with it."

Lucy remembered this voice too-though still no name seemed to fit their timbre-and it sparked in her a connection between the man and the orange flames that surrounded them.

They weren't the doing of the first man with the golden hair and flame-colored eyes, swirling pools of orange-yellow hues. They were…

Gooseflesh prickled across her arms, a trickle of cold sweat slithered down her back as her eyes widened in fear, flashes of sinister smiles working across her memory. Rich, dark laughter rang in her ears.

She knew that voice too.

Lucy resisted the urge to shudder, terror cascading through her senses, as the man stepped closer to the light, closer to Lucy, his teeth bared in a feral, snarling smile, blonde hair tufted into what looked like ears, and long tail twitching back and forth as he walked towards her. His arms, blackened, and adorned with various markings and tattoos languidly reached towards her, fingers twitching as he flexed his power and shot a flame her way.

Lucy scrambled back in surprise, heart hammering in her chest. She let out a low hiss of pain as the fireball nicked her already injured shoulder.

The man laughed gleefully at her expense.

"See, she does remember me!" He crooned loudly, "Remembers the pain of my presence."

He sniggered as Lucy struggled to her feet, vision swaying, as she bit back a groan of pain.

She glowered at the man before her, his wild blonde hair appearing like a halo about the man's head, his dark tattoos across his shirtless chest sending waves of ominous energy through her.

"She rises!" He replied cheekily, "And here I thought you weren't stupid enough to keep fighting against me anymore! Even without your memories, it seems you have a death playing the martyr and hero."

He angled his stance, shifting his footing so his left leg skirted behind him.

The man's fingers twitched again, a glow of fire and power sparking from his fingers.

"Jackal!"

The call came too late from the first visitor, as the man launched another fiery blast towards her. This time, Lucy was a little quicker to escape the blast.

But she wasn't so lucky the third time.

To be fair, though, the blast came immediately after the first, before she could comprehend what had happened. It's force rammed into the girl's side, sending tendrils of agony through her limbs, making her cry out as the force of the blast also sent her backwards, knocking into a tree.

She felt the hard, rough texture of the bark against her arms, and back as she fell hard against the pinewood, her body sliding down of its own accord. Her legs had given out on her entirely, the wind knocked from her lungs as she reveled in the aching pulsations of pain overwhelming her senses. There was the distinct smell of nature filtering through her nose, tempered by the hideous stench of burning fabric, singed hair, and torn flesh as her cheek met the damp earth.

She wanted to vomit, her vision dimming around the edges as the man continued to laugh at her expense as she coughed and willed her lungs to inflate.

"What a pathetic display," he mocked, taking a step forward. "Always yelling about not being afraid of me, but here we stand , at least here _I_ stand. And there's no mother to protect you this time."

"Jackal!" came the other man's reprimand, "Stand down. We need her alive. You know that."

The first man's tone was hard, cold, but soft, brooking no room for refutation, as he too stepped forward, towards Lucy.

"She knows where it is. We need her alive. We have to find it."

The second man, Jackal, snorted derisively.

"Always have to try to spoil my fun. Makes play time boring." he ground out, before snorting in amusement. "But the best thing is,"

He shot a grin towards Lucy before looking back at the first man, "I don't need your permission, Larcade. And I can cause pain without killing her. Hell, it might even open up that stupid mouth of hers and get her to talk!"

There was another, unexpected blast thrust her way as Lucy struggled to move, her limbs protesting every attempt she made to angle out of the way, her muscles screaming in protest as she scrambled to her feet…

She took a step backwards, pitching forward, her legs buckling beneath her.

And down she fell, over the unseen cliff face she hadn't known was there, her face feeling the bitter smack of the wind on her cheeks as the scorching blast of Jackals magic licked at her backside, as her hands met air, flailing to try to grab onto anything.

She only met air. Cold, biting air.

The girl let out a low squawk of surprise as she tumbled down, the darkness and surrounding landscape distorting and swirling around her as she rocketed away from the two assailants Lucy met the scratching, stinging hillside on her decent, unable to stop herself from hitting the rough patches of the hill because she simply couldn't distinguish what she was falling into. She struck a few well-placed rocks, and tumbled headlong through a low bramble bush before ramming into a rather solid force that knocked the wind clear from her for a second time.

Said force was warm, almost unbearably so, which was unnatural and set warning bells ringing in girl's ears. However, it was the arms which wrapped around her shoulders that set the girl scrambling, trying propel herself away from her new assailant's hold as she gasped, trying to suck in as much air into her lungs as possible.

"Ugh, geez" the mass beneath her wheezed, "Didn't know that girls could be this heavy."

Lucy tensed briefly at the new voice, unfamiliar as it was, before renewing her efforts to push herself away from the man who only tightened his grip on her shoulders, attempting to still Lucy from her escape.

"Oi, what happened to you? Are you okay?"

Lucy lifted her head and met the man's gaze, willing her heart to stop hammering in panic at the thought of Jackal coming for her, sending a spray of fire her way, even as she sat here, putting another person in danger.

The man's eyes narrowed as their gazes met and Lucy was momentarily struck by how quickly the viridescent orbs shifted from curiosity to anger as his gaze swept over her cheeks and down her face.

His grip tightened as he shifted and slowly lifted himself up, gently setting Lucy to his left, his gaze never leaving hers.

"Who hurt you?"

His voice was deeper this time, eyes narrowed and tufts of pink (pink!) hair framing his face, and emphasizing the hard frown upon his lips as he watched Lucy carefully, almost like he was assessing her.

"Who hurt you?" He repeated, before stopping, his eyes narrowing further as he inhaled sharply before he growled lowly.

"And why is it that you smell so familiar? Do you know Igneel?"

Igneel? Lucy balked at the question, and tried to shift away from the man, unsure of who this Igneel was or how it related to her or this man who sat, bare chested, in the frigid cold, with his wild pink hair haphazardly swirling around his head like a halo.

And then there was the looming dread—

"Come out, come out wherever you are, little Lucy. I intend to continue play time."

The girl stiffened and tried to push away from the pink-haired captor, the wheels in her heard turning at a rapid pace, anxiety eating at her at the prospect of some stranger coming to harm because of her.

Even if she didn't know just why her presence was causing so many problems. It both angered and saddened her. Top that off with the achingly frustrating sense of confusion she felt and Lucy was liable to lose her head any moment.

"Ah, there you are!"

Lucy didn't wait and wonder if a blast was coming her way. Instead, acting on the uncomfortable pit in her stomach and the faintest of memories that perhaps Jackal would be the type to attack first before speaking, Lucy dug her fingers into the pink-haired man's arm before pushing all of her weight into him. She couldn't let someone else get hurt.

So, willing her legs to move, begging her arms to stay strong for just a few moments, she forced the man back to his side (her own body screaming in protest), and out of the reach of the blast that careened to the ground, sending a shower of pebbles, dirt, and twigs raining down.

"What the hell?" She heard the breathy whisper in her ear...

Lucy ignored the comment. The urgency that had been eating at her since she'd first opened her eyes had Lucy struggling to her feet adrenaline feeding her limbs and terror tickling her senses at the looming danger.

She had to do something!

She could sense it this time, the blast coming for her. But, even so, Lucy held her ground, narrowing her eyes towards Jackal and Lacarde who stoody by, a deep frown etched on his stoic face, arms crossed and eyes assessing.

"Fire dragon's roar!"

There was a brilliant cascade of light, and Lucy squinted, trying to get her bearings, as a scorching heat erupted around her, singing her arms, and making her hiss in pain.

Though, she _knew_ the pain she was feeling was nothing compared to what it could have been.

"Hey loud mouth!" Lucy turned her head ever so slightly, squinting through the fiery haze, blinking a few times trying decipher the features of the man who stepped unabashedly through the flames, his steps precise, and determined.

"You're pretty pathetic picking on someone who can't even defend themselves. What a sick joke. And I don't take kindly the bullies."

The man cast a brief, worried glance towards her and Lucy noted the strange tufts of brilliant pink hair he bore swirled about his his head, illuminated by the rich orange flames his body exuded. She noted, once more, how his narrowed green eyes swept over her face, assessing. His lips pulled into a deep frown, and he bared his teeth, a fury alight and dancing in his gaze as marched forward much to Lucy's surprise.

The man came to stand closer to her, his fists clenched, swirls of orange and red flames wrapping and curling around his fingers, knuckles, and palms as he created a barrier between her and Jackal.

The strangest thing she noted, was that though the man stood, wreathed in the fire, there seemed no pain, no agitation, or even acknowledgment that flames licked at his ankles and swirled around his legs, nor that he stood in such a dangerous position. In fact, other than the concern he spared for her, the man seemed rather calm and even pleased to stand in the scorching heat.

"Who the hell are you then?" The man, Jackal, scoffed, lowering his arms briefly in surprise, "A moron certainly, but obviously one who could be a threat, given the pyrotechnic display."

Lacarde, too, looked momentarily intrigued by the pink-haired man's presence, and lowered his arms, his gaze flickering over the fire-wielder's features before he straightened and leaned closer, lips pursed into a thin, disgusted line.

The pink-haired man chuckled, "Yeah, a moron probably. Gray's said as much," he retorted "But I'm not one to sit by and let someone torture others." Jackal chuckled darkly at the other's reply.

"And clearly you like to mess in other people's affairs" He noted casually, his own arms beginning to pulsate and swirl with their own fire "But this isn't your fight and that rat," he snarled towards Lucy, narrowing his eyes on the girl who wobbled to her feet, though she didn't know how long she'd remain upright, "that piece of trash doesn't deserve whatever courtesy you want to extend her. She needs to answer for her crimes. She's not helpless. She's just stupid."

And at that, the man shot another blast towards Lucy, a snarl escaping his lips, teeth bared and eyes glowering towards the girl.

"Fire dragon, iron fist!"

The counterattack didn't seem to faze Jackal so much as surprise him at the level of equality the two of them operated on. In fact, the pink-haired interrupter's fiery assault seemed to nullify Jackal's own explosive attempt on Lucy completely. The sheer power of each blow both fascinated and terrified her.

But, watching the pink-haired man hasten forward, to deflect the blow made Lucy frown and she glowered towards Jackal who continued his saunter forward, unperturbed by Lucy's new protector. He threw another explosion towards the girl, then watched, amused, as the pink-haired man continued to deflect and defend her.

And Lucy knew, though she couldn't remember why, it never sat well with her to have someone protect her this way. She wasn't some shrinking violet. At least she didn't _think_ she was so was stronger than that. She could be stronger than that. And watching a perfect stranger come to her aid, especially when she felt completely useless, made her feel even more of a burden and even more frustrated by her inability to do something.

She needed to help, needed to defend herself, and needed to stop this foolhardy and, obviously reckless man from stepping into a fight that he had no business in.

Not that she wasn't grateful, mind you, but she didn't find it fair that this man should take the brunt of all this abuse when it was clearly directed towards her and he was an innocent-if foolish-interrupter.

Said pink-haired fire-wielder let out a grunt of pain as another of Jackal's blasts rammed into the man's shoulder, sending him skidding backwards, kicking up a cloud of ashen dust in its wake.

"Damn that hurt" the man muttered more to himself that Jackal, before grinning, "I'm all fired up now. You seem like a pretty good opponent. This ought-"

The man's grin was quickly replaced by a look of determination as he deflected another one of Jackal's blows, growling as his opponent laughed at his expense.

"You talk too much," Jackal retorted. "I had to shut you up somehow. And,"

There was a brief flicker towards Lucy.

"I needed to distract you."

The blast came out of nowhere and smacked into the girl's back, sending her sprawling into the dirt, her groan of pain cut off by the mouthful of dirt she inhaled.

Between the spasms of pain and the way her back tingled, Lucy's senses roiled with anger and exhaustion. All of this pain was wearing her down. She couldn't understand how she'd let this...this arrogant nitwit get the better of her.

"You bastard" She heard the pink-haired man growl as Lucy slowly tried to force her wearied limbs to work. "You're attacking an innocent girl. Just leave her out of this."

"Jackal!" There was Larcade speaking again, "Stand down!"

Jackal only chuckled.

"Oh I don't think so Larcade" He sneered towards the robed man who stood frowning at a distance from sparring match "The party seems to just be getting started and I'm eager to beat this punk into submission before I rip that filthy little celestial wizard to shreds to get the answers we need."

"Fire Dragon Iron fist!"

There was another snarling command that bubbled from Jackal's lips as a response to the pink-haired man's new assault.

"Now Happy!"

And suddenly Lucy was airborne.

The girl let out a shriek of surprise as her body listed side to side, swaying in the air. She could feel the pressure of something beneath her arms as she slowly ascended above the infuriated Jackal and the rather smug looking pink-haired man.

"Jeez lady you're kinda heavy." There was a voice in her ear and Lucy jerked in surprise, feeling herself wobble from whatever held her aloft.

"Don't move around so much or I'll drop you!" the voice cried and Lucy slowly turned her head enough to peer backwards.

She came face to face with large, inquiring feline eyes and a smug little blue face framed by whiskers and pointed ears.

It was a cat.

A blue cat at that.

A blue cat with wings carried Lucy out of harm's way at the request of that pink-haired fire wielder who still commanded blow after blow forth to combat against a rather flummoxed Jackal and a surprised looking Lacarde.

"Happy?" She queried softly-that's what the pink haired man had called him- "Why are you..?"

"No time to explain," The cat remarked off handedly as he floated a little higher. His voice conveyed a bit of strain in his efforts. "Natsu wanted you out of there and I don't usually question him when he's like this. Trust me when I say that we're safer if we stay at a distance."

Natsu?

Lucy looked towards the ground once more, peering at the pink-haired man, who shot a grin towards Happy and herself. Even with her swaying vision, Lucy could see the way the man-Natsu's-gaze briefly locked with hers before he nodded once, a frown still pulling at his mouth as his eyes swept across her face, obviously noting the damage he saw there.

Another blast made its way from his fingertips, cascading forward, towards his opponent who stood, scowling, a deep growl emanating from his chest.

Lucy resisted the urge to shudder as she watched Jackal fix his gaze on her as well before snarling. "You won't outrun me, you little wretch. I'll make sure of it."

And with a fierce roar of pent-up frustration, the man launched himself towards the pink-haired Natsu, who stood at the ready, meeting Jackal's blows with a defensive fist and parry of his own.

* * *

To say that Natsu was surprised at Jackal's strength was an understatement. He could feel the raw power rippling from the man before him, even as his opponent scowled and spewed threats against the girl that Happy was trying to vacate from the hill side.

They'd reached the lower cliff's base in short order and Natsu let the thrill of adventure pulse through his senses, until he'd caught the undeniable scent of something familiar and charged ahead, impatient to crest the summit and find out what had been driving him to this point, to this peak.

He hadn't anticipated seeing the girl, let alone face her slamming into him as she'd fallen down the hillside. He certainly hadn't expected to watch her try to protect him (him!) from an assault either, admiring the sheer force of will she exuded as she'd forced her entire weight into pushing him out of the way of Jackal's first blast against the two of them together, noting the way she panted and winced, struggling to rise to her feet, beads of sweat on her brow, face smudged with dirt and rich purple bruises.

He didn't expect to see two men standing atop the hill the girl had just fallen from, glaring down on the shuddered and scraped against the soft, dewy earth, trying to get a foothold that would steady her.

He certainly didn't expect to see large brown eyes, confused, unfocused, but at the same time resolved-hinting at the girl's sheer force of will to stand her ground-as she tried to contend against the blonde haired man who stood proudly before the girl, dark markings on his arms pulsating with power.

But he most certainly didn't anticipate inhaling a scent that seemed so familiar to him that it nearly sent him reeling back in surprise.

Igneel.

This girl smelled familiar. Too familiar. And mingled in with the scent that sparked deja vu there, too, did the faintest scent of his father loom around the wobbly-footed, foolhardy girl who seemed determined to protect him from her assailant's blasts.

But it was Jackal's barking laugh as he angled a blow at the weakened girl that sent Natsu scrambling, his fists clenched in fury over someone abusing another person so abominably.

He couldn't let some innocent get hurt like that.

It wasn't who he was.

He hadn't understood why they'd attacked someone so obviously unequal in power to themselves. Jackal in particular seemed keen to cause harm and abuse the girl who already sported a hefty array for bruises across her face, arms, and who knew where else.

"Brilliant flame!" He called out, pivoting his legs, letting the momentum of his right arm's swing guide his attack forwards and towards Jackal.

But Jackal wasn't there to receive the blow, much to Natsu's surprise and concern.

He didn't expect the solid punch to the jaw to hit him.

Natsu was knocked back by the force of the blow, his senses rocked by the sheer power that knocked into his stomach, sucking the air from his lungs and shooting waves of pain through his torso.

"Natsu!"

There was no mistaking Happy's frantic cry towards him as Natsu slowly rolled to his side and clamored to his feed, annoyance and concern warring within him.

He was angry for being caught off guard, concerned because of how powerful the man before him was. He hadn't expected the man to have been holding back so much.

"Not so gallant now, are you," the man, Jackal sneered at Natsu, dusting his hands together "All that talk and one blow sends you into silence."

A mirthless laugh escaped the man's lips as he straightened and flexed his fingers. Natsu watched as the skin briefly flickered, darkening as small tendrils of power wrapped around the man's fingertips, wrist, and wove up his arms, creating a stark contrast to the green tunic he wore.

Natsu narrowed his eyes at the man, noting the way his opponent's muscles contracted ever so slightly, fingers twitching as he smirked towards the pink haired fire-wielder. He knew Jackal would move again and he braced himself, shifting his stance so that his heels dug more firmly into the ground, pivoting his left shoulder back to favor catching Jackal's blow with his right.

He wasn't disappointed and met Jackal's snarling attack with a defensive blow of his own, effectively blocking the man's assault.

But only just.

"Brilliant flame!" He growled again, his fingertips dancing with the fiery heated sparks of power.

Jackal neatly dodged the blow and laughed, eyes narrowing at Natsu.

"You can't expect to defeat me with the same attack you've already used," He crowed, skidding backwards from Natsu's range of power. "I'm too quick for you."

"Wing attack!"

He didn't give Jackal a chance to rebound from the assault before he charged forward again, feeling the whipping wind against his cheeks as the flames which encased his fists warmed his limbs.

It felt good, this power, and it was made even more satisfying when Jackal fell short of defending himself and was, instead, sent rocketing backwards, a grunt of discontent escaping his mouth as the man's backside collided with a nearby tree trunk.

There was a sickening crack as the wood splintered and the tree neatly fell, sending a small cloud of dust and debris into the air.

"That's enough"

Natsu tensed at the new voice, his senses on high alert as he turned towards the second man, who had yet to move from his position.

Said man's gaze was trained on him, though he made move to attack. Instead he stood, fingers pressed together in a praying motion as he smiled softly towards Natsu.

"I'm glad to see you, Master Dragneel" he murmured softly. "Tales of your power have reached many corners of the empire."

There was a soft tilt of his head angled towards Natsu, in what he could only assume was an informal act of deference towards the fire wizard.

"I had not expected to meet you so soon," he remarked, eyes thoughtfully sweeping over Natsu's face, "But given that Lucy Heartfilia made her escape and managed to land here, I must say that I'm not overly surprised by your presence. Her mother would have forseen this and would have tried to help her daughter."

Before Natsu could blink, the man speaking to him quirked a smile towards Natsu as his right hand swung back, ripping the larger cross from the man's back as he launched it upwards, sailing past Natsu with a whoosh of air ruffling the man's pink hair.

The fire wizard stiffened, his gaze whipping around towards Happy and the girl he carried.

No!

* * *

Though Lucy and Happy had been a safer distance away, she wasn't overly surprised when Larcade suddenly volleyed his cumbersome cross towards her and Happy.

It was as though she'd anticipated it.

She heard the other man-Natsu's-shout of alarm and only had a moment to react before the massive cross slammed into her shoulder, and colliding with Happy's paws. The cat emitted an ear-splitting cry of pain, his hold severing from the girl's.

Lucy, too, hissed in pain, a jolt of stinging anguish zinging down her arm as she fell. But she'd managed to move enough to grasp onto Happy, who had stilled his movements, wings gone limp, eyes vacant and stunned.

A panic welled in her at the sight and she scrambled to tuck the cat safely into her arms, squeezing her eyes shut before they smacked into the ground, far too quickly for her liking.

She should have expected the ground to hurt, but by this point, she was becoming so numbed to the pain that the sting seemed duller than normal. Such a numbness should have concerned her, but Lucy was too worried about the creature in her arms to give much mind to the pain.

"Happy!" she cried, giving the little blue cat a shake "wake up!"

Her heart clenched at the pitiful sight and she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt at the fact that her presence caused someone harm.

Jackal's laughter filled the air as she cradled the cat in her arms.

"What a pathetic display" He crowed to her right "You thought you could escape. You thought we'd let you go again?"

Lucy lifted her head towards Jackal, cradling the cat closer to herself as she glared towards her offender.

Jackal only laughed at her expression.

"What fierce kitten," he growled lowly raising his blackened hand towards her, "So determined and foolish. But, you'll never escape us. Once we get what we want, Lucy Heartfilia," he smirked at her, "I'm going to kill you."

There was a fiery orange light that erupted beneath the girl and Lucy cast a wary glance down to see a magic circle beneath her person, swirling slowly around her and Happy.

Dread ate at her. She knew what this was…

Or at least she thought she did.

"Ahhaha, I see you remember this little trick, eh? Yes, Lucy, take one step, make one move, and you'll go 'boom' ahaha." Jackal fluttered his fingers as a demonstration of what he obviously desired to happen.

Lucys eyes widened and she looked again towards Happy who was starting to come back to himself, his little paws stretching and wrapping around Lucy's arm.

If she moved…if she tried to get away, then Happy would…

And it'd be all her fault.

"Not if I kill you first!"

There was an infuriated shout and Natsu leapt forward, wreathed in flames, eyes alight and filled with malice, gunning for Jackal, though he cast a brief look towards Larcade.

"And when I'm done with him, I'm going to make you regret ever hurting my friend."

"Fire dragon, wing attack!"

Natsu's fist collided with Jackal's jaw, sending the offender backwards, off his feet.

But only for a moment.

Said enemy, skittered backwards, clawed, blackened hands skimming across the ground as he sent a sneering smile towards Natsu.

"I was hoping you'd hit me again," He muttered darkly, a deep chuckle reverberating through his chest. "It should be just enough to finally get the curse working."

Lucy felt another trill of worry.

'The curse?'

Why did _that_ sound so familiar?

She peered towards Natsu, watching as the man stilled, his own face contorted in confusion, the flames enrobing his hands momentarily snuffing out.

Lucy's eyes widened in horror at what she saw then.

Despite the flames having gone out, Natsu's face, hands, torso, and legs remained alight, with the light growing ever brighter.

"Boom" Jackal whispered, eyes narrowed in glee.

The pieces suddenly clicked and Lucy knew what was going to happen. And it was all her fault.

"Natsu!"

He understood what was happening but Natsu was caught by surprise at Jackal's cunning 'curse' and it took him a moment to force himself to think of a way to combat what was to come.

"Natsu!"

The panic in the girl's voice tickled his ears as the light across his appendages grew all the brighter, all the warmer.

He didn't know how he was going to escape this blast, and-judging by his opponent's laughter-Jackal knew that as well.

His only option was to simply hope he could either outrun or outlast the explosion, perhaps?

He was a rather quick runner. And, he was always rather fond of fire, afterall.

The Dragon Slayer's suddenly widened.

'Wait!'

Lucy had to do something! Every particle in her was screaming for her to move, to try something-anything- to help Natsu. He'd been protecting her and here she was stuck behind a stupid barrier, one that would kill her and Happy if she even took a step.

Anger roiled in her stomach and Lucy felt a deep anguish and fury towards Jackal as she watched the light grow blindingly bright, noting how Natsu curled in on himself.

The girl squeezed her eyes shut, unwilling to see what was going to happen, knowing that she'd never forgive herself for this.

'I have to do something!' She shouted in her mind, willing whatever power she possessed to help, to give her enough strength to rise to her feet. She didn't have magical power, but she had to try something. She had to make this right.

'I can't just let someone else die because of me.'

There was a flash, bright enough to blind her, even with her eyes closed, and Lucy heard the distinct rumble and bang of an explosion reverberate through the air.

The girl's heart sank. She felt as though she would be sick. She didn't want to look, knowing that it'd be a terrible sight, and knowing that it was all her fault.

"'Hey! What the hell is this box?!' He bellowed agitatedly."

"Dammit, hey!" There was a low grunt from Jackal as his words were cut off, replaced by a loud, carashing thud and the splintering of wood.

The girl's eyes flew open in surprise at the prim and proper male voice and she stared, open-mouthed at the sight before her.

'What the-'

Lucy stared, perplexed, at the white goat man who stood as a sentinel between herself and Jackal, ears pointed forward, arms folded. He bore a dark suit with polished shoes and even darker glasses concealed what felt to be a glare.

Beside him stood a massive mahogany clock, with arms as small feet waving about. The girl peered closer, mouth falling open as she peered as a bedraggled Natsu who seemed both surprised and infuriated to be trapped behind the paned glass of the clock's body.

The pink haired fire wielder banged on the glass, his mouth moving rapidly, though no one could hear what he was saying.

"'When I get out of here I swear I'm going to torch this whole stupid place!' He snarled furiously." The clock intoned, the mechanical mustache it bore twitching ever so slightly.

"What the…"

"Gyah!" Jackal sniped throwing another series of blasts towards Lucy who ducked her head, covering Happy.

There was another, less angry grunt that escaped the opponent's mouth and Lucy peered upwards to see the goat man leveling a rather impressive kick to the blonde's stomach, sending spittle flying from his mouth and his body rocking back and skittering across the damp, rocky ground.

Anger rippled and roiled from Lucy's new defender as he bore down on Jackal, frowning deeply, fists clenched, at the golden-haired opponent.

"I suggest you remove yourself from my presence, filth." he growled lowly, evenly, "I'll not allow another hair on the child's head to be harmed."

At that comment, the goat man hazarded a quick look her way.

"I am sorry for the delay, Miss Lucy," He remarked respectfully, "I was preoccupied with other...distractions" there was a bite to the creature's tone "and these two must have planned it that way. However, Virgo sends her regards and asked that I give this back to you."

Lucy scrambled to reach for the glittering object that the goat man had hastily thrown her way. Each muscle in her fingers tingled, as they wrapped around the sparkling whip and a warm feeling of familiarity filled her senses as she ran her hands along the smooth, handle.

She knew this weapon even though she couldn't recall who this Virgo was.

She peeked back towards the goat man who gave her a brief nod.

"I know it doesn't make sense yet, but it will. It would seem that protecting your memories has made quite a mess of the whole affair. For that, I am sorry."

"Ugh, wh-what happened," Happy's voice shook Lucy back to awareness and she peered down at the small blue cat curled in her lap. He looked up at her lazily, the wheels turning sluggishly as he tried to speak.

"Ca-can't remember falling. Did I-did I drop you?

"'Hey let me out!' He cried frustratedly."

Both Lucy and Happy turned towards the large clock again, watching as Natsu banged silently against the inside pane.

"I am sorry Miss Lucy" the clock remarked, "I would have come you sooner, but I couldn't get my gate open by myself. Your call breached the seal and I managed to squeeze through. Your friend is safe for the time being."

This clock, too, spoke to her as though she were a familiar face, but Lucy couldn't figure out if or how she knew said clock...not to mention that fact that a talking clock was in front of her in the first place.

"You damned celestial rat!" Jackal sniped, "I should have known you'd manage to call someone. But it won't matter because I'll blow this entire mountain sky high if I have to!"

"I highly doubt you'll succeed in that endeavor" the goat man quipped lowly "I won't allow it."

Before the girl could blink, her new protector was in front of Jackal again, this time leveling another blow towards the offender's side, sending the angry man sprawling. He stood, unmoving as Jackal was thrown back again, a string of curses fluttering through the air in his wake.

Then, he turned towards Larcade who still stood, giant cross returned to him, a deep frown on his face.

"I had hoped you'd have been smart enough not to go after her" the goat-man remarked towards Lacade. "You could avoid bloodshed if you'd let her alone."

Larcade only smirked and chuckled softly. "And miss this chance to exact our revenge and get back what is ours?" he queried, "I don't think so, dear Capricorn. I may not be inclined to kill the girl, but I can't just let her leave either. I'll not disappoint my father in that way."

He lifted his cross again, swinging his arm back to throw.

"You can, and you will" the goat man remarked darkly jumping faster than Lucy could comprehend and easily dismantling the cross' throw even as a blast from Jackal's power erupted around where Capricorn had leveled a strike against the brute. The goat man only let out a low grunt of pain as a sign that anything had affected him as Larcade move forward, initiating the much taller Capricorn in a fierce sparring match that was almost too quick and brutal for Lucy's eyes to register.

"'Hey! What about me!' He hollered furiously 'Get me out of this stupid box!' He shouted insultingly."

Lucy's head was spinning as she peered from Larcade and Capricorn to Natsu, still banging furiously against the box, his anger and annoyance splashed in his gaze. He frowned at her, waving his hands to signal that she come help him.

"You damned, stupid girl," Jackal huffed and Lucy's head whipped towards the man who stumbled to his feet, a low cough choking from his lips. "I should have just killed you when I had the chance. But now, now I'm going to make you suffer. I don't give a damn what you know!"

Jackal was angling towards her, his moves swift and deadly and the girl tried to scamper to her feet, careful to move Happy behind her, her grip tightening around the flowing whip in her hands.

She glared towards the blonde creature who snarled before her, a deep anger and bitterness washing over her, thrusting adrenaline through her veins once more.

She felt a warm pulse of power encircle her fingers as she arched her arm back and let end of the whip sail towards Jackal.

She missed spectacularly and received a rather nasty check to the stomach for her efforts. Lucy coughed and tried to suck in air as Jackal moved forward again, this time slamming his elbow into her back, forcing the girl into the dirt, her nose and mouth pressed against the soil, making it difficult to breathe.

"Miss Lucy!"

She could hear Capricorn's call of alarm as she struggled, listening to Jackal laugh above her.

"You were such a fool to think you could get away. After all our play time, you think I'd let you go without a goodbye present?"

He laughed again before choking back another groan of pain as he was forcefully thrown off the struggling girl.

"On your feet now," Capricorn's voice was in her ear and the girl felt herself being lifted to her feed. Hazily she peered around, noting that Jackal was tugging himself from the pile of another splintered tree, Larcade, struggling to pull himself from a pile of boulders.

She stumbled, her knees buckling as Capricorn hoisted her up again, his grip firm but gentle.

"I am sorry for the mess, Miss Lucy" he remarked darkly, "But we don't have much time to rectify the situation completely. Let me lend you some strength to help send these vermin back to their master. Buy you some time.

The goat man smiled down at Lucy his hand coming to rest atop the girl's head.

"What, what are you-" she murmured as a rich pulsation of power made the girl blink in surprise. The world came into sharp focus, the sounds of her angry opponents reverberated in her ears as she watched light wrap around her hands and torso, and down her legs.

It felt comforting, familiar, and empowering.

"Now," Capricorn murmured in her ear again as she spied Jackal angling towards her once more, Larcade hovering in the background. "Get ready to fight. We have to distract them long enough."

The goat man moved hastily from her, blocking Larcade's assault as Jackal sneered at Lucy.

"You think some fancy new clothes and that pathetic little whip are going to save you?"

He raised a clawed strike towards her and to Lucy it seemed as if the world had slowed down, Jackal's moves no longer appeared lightning fast and Lucy swiftly dodged the blow, striking at Jackal with her whip.

The man tried to launch another attack on her only to be met with the same result. The surge of power and adrenaline the girl felt were a relief from the aching pain she'd experienced when first waking and it filled her with a fierce determination and renewed anger.

She snapped her whip again, striking Jackal and eliciting a snarling curse from his lips as he stumbled backwards.

* * *

Natsu grinned in fierce delight as he surged from the clock's confines.

"Looks like my time is up. Give my regards to Miss Lucy and be sure to thank her for protecting your life."

Natsu peered back towards the clock in surprise, watching as he disappeared in a poof of smoke and dust.

He had wondered briefly how he'd managed to find himself inside of a clock...a talking clock at that. But, the fire dragon slayer had to admit that the creature had been right. The blast would have been too great for him to completely consume and he'd have been seriously injured had the clock not shown up and snatched him from the blast.

But that had been the girl's doing? Lucy?

He turned back towards the battle, watching the girl, now clothed in black, easily dodging Jackal's attack and striking back with a rainbow whip. Close by were Larcade and the goat man-Capricorn-also evenly sparring, their movements too fast to comprehend, like blurs of light that course through the air.

First a goat man and then a clock.

"Weird" he muttered, eyes narrowing in on the girls footwork, noting that despite her renewed energy, exhaustion loomed close to the surface. She could only sustain this form for a short while. Regardless of that truth, this Lucy stood in front of Happy who hardly moved, though he watched the battle in rapt attention.

Jackal threw a firestorm towards Happy, a snarling string of insults and curses leveled at the girl and his friend.

"I'll rip you both to shreds" He bellowed "Cut off every limb and detonate it!"

Lucy moved quickly skidding into the line of fire, and took the blast intended for Happy, the fireball catching her in the shoulder before erupting.

The girl let out a harsh whimper of pain, stumbling once, but refused to fall to her knees. Instead she turned more fully towards Jackal, bared her teeth and glowered fiercely.

"Leave him alone." she snarled lowly "Don't you dare try to touch him again."

"Not if it'll piss you off!" Jackal snarled in response, leveling another blast towards Lucy and Happy.

The girl raised her arms in a protective shield stance and crouched in front of Happy's weakened form, large clouds of dust and debris mixing in with the firestorm that Jackal kept tossing the girl's way.

Natsu quickly realized that the girl was protecting the little creature from further harm, taking damage on herself, giving a small hiss of pain as a blast tore into her side. Natsu's anger roiled at the realiy that his friend and this new girl had come to harm in the first place.

He had to help.

"Fire dragon wing attack!"

His blast sent Jackal spiraling back at the same time that Lucy's whip struck at the man's legs, wrapping about his ankles and setting him off balance. He had no chance of slowing his movements as he tumbled into Larcade's form, both bouncing across the ground.

That didn't save either Natsu nor the girl, Lucy, from harm however. To his shock, Jackal managed to grab ahold of Lucy's whip and grinned wickedly as his fingers ignited small detonations upwards, shooting a blast into Lucy's face, the shockwave pushing her backwards and off her feet.

However, before Natsu could move, the goat man was at the girl's side, helping her to rise.

"You know the spell. Cast it and send him back to the pit. While they're distracted."

And suddenly, the goat man cast a look towards Natsu, frowning at the dragon slayer.

"You'll have to keep them occupied just a little longer, Master Dragneel." The goat man-Capricorn-tightened his grip on the girl's shoulders. "The spell takes a moment. Can you do that?"

There was a bit of doubt laced in the creatures words and Natsu took that as an affront to his person, nevermind the fact that that the creature _knew_ his name.

"Dragneel…" The girl murmured, her dark ochre eyes narrowing in thought as she peered briefly at Natsu. "Why...does that sound so familiar?"

"You're going to regret that you little celestial vermin." Jackal spat, as Natsu turned back towards the man's voice. He noted how wild Jackal's expression was, eyes alight with fury as he scrambled to his feet, fists clenched. Larcade was right behind him, gently dusting himself off as he peer at Natsu through hooded eyes, expression betraying nothing.

He only frowned at Natsu.

Said dragon slayer was riveted back towards Jackal who had encased his fists in a fiery inferno as he slowly sauntered forward.

"I'm going to rip your you to shreds," He spat at the girl before glaring towards Natsu, "And then when I'm done with her, I'll rip the stuffing out of your stupid blue pest before I torch all of you."

Natsu's anger flared.

"Don't worry about me, Goat man," the pink haired Natsu retorted, grinning towards Capricorn and Lucy, "I can handle making a little distraction."

And with nothing more than a nod of his head, the fire wielder dashed forward, igniting his own fists and sending a string of insults towards Jackal.

"I'll never let you lay another hand on either of them you sniveling coward," He growled. "Fire drag, iron fist!"

The two collided again, flames blasting one another backwards, but Natsu and Jackal's feet skidding each of them apart from one another. But, the two were immediately darting towards one another again, barely wasting any time to recover.

* * *

"We must hurry, Miss Lucy," Capricorn's voice tickled the girl's ear and made her jump in surprise.

She'd almost forgotten.

"I can only maintain a presence here for a short while longer and you aren't strong enough on your own to enact the spell. You'll need my assistance."

But Lucy was confused, not just about what she couldn't remember, but about what she couldn't _feel_ either.

"I don't-I don't have any magical power," She remarked lowly, peering up at Capricorn. "I can't feel it course through me. I don't think...I don't think I have any to give."

Capricorn nodded once in understanding, placing a hand on the girl's head. "Believe me when I say that you have magic. You couldn't have used this transformation had you not had any. However, the majority of your magic is being blocked, subdued, if you will, and you can't access it fully until we break down that barrier." He peered at her over the rim of his glasses, a smile playing on his lips, "It's a small curse, really, that the enemy decided to give you. They're afraid of what you can accomplish, I think. But, for now, time is of the essence, and I can bypass the barrier with some of my own magic."

There was a sudden burst of warmth that cascaded down Lucy's scalp, soaking into each pore and rippling down her spine before curling around her fingers and toes. She felt another burst of energy, and power. Her heart beat languidly in her chest as she relished in the all encompassing warmth and she let her eyes slip closed, feeling a surge of power course through her veins. It felt both familiar and foreign all at once.

"Now, repeat the words I'm going to tell you. Concentrate on channeling that power you feel coursing through your senses into an attack on Jackal. If we take him out, Larcade will follow."

"What do you care for that pitiful brat anyway!" Jackal snipped at Natsu, as the dragon slayer landed a swift blast into his opponent's shoulder. "She's nothing to you! A parasite and a worthless waste of magical power."

"And what's she worth to you, eh?" Natsu retorted, dodging another assault from Jackal, "Last I checked, you couldn't just go around trying to kill someone for the hell of it."

Jackal laughed bitterly. Natsu's eyes flickered briefly towards Larcade, who still made no advancement, arms folded, eyes trained on Natsu.

"That filth," Jackal snarled, "Knows where it is. She's the only one that knows and I'm going to get that information out of her before I tear her to pieces."

The blonde haired man snorted in amusement, wiping a bit of blood from his lips.

"It's too bad really. She's desperate to protect her little secret, even if it will cost her her like her idiotic mother. And oh how I relished blasting a hole through that pathetic excuse of a wizard."

Natsu's eyes narrowed at Jackal's glee and admission that he'd harmed the girl's mother.

Jackal took notice of Natsu's growing fury and only smiled more contemptuously as he arced his arm backwards and allowed an orb of power to engulf his hand once more.

"Seems I struck a nerve, eh?" He scoffed, his grin growing. "Then it'll please you to know that I thoroughly enjoyed ending that pathetic woman's life. It's too bad that the celestial wizard doesn't remember how her mother sniveled and begged me to spare her daughter and how I cut off those annoying, simpering cries with a bomb through the stomach. Oh there was so much blood and destruction. It was glorious."

He thrust the flamed bomb towards Natsu.

"I wonder how the girl will feel when I tell her just how much I enjoyed ripping her mother to pieces."

A renewed anger and sorrow engulfed Natsu's senses as he willingly accepted the blast, inhaling the the brilliant heated blast, feeling the magic from the flames themselves warming his belly.

"What the Hell…"

Jackal stared wide-eyed at Natsu, surprise clearly evident on his face as he watched the wizard inhale the flames, sucking this them into his mouth.

"Ugh, these are so gross," He groaned, as he continued to inhale. "You think with whatever power you have that you could produce some better tasting flames. Geez."

"He's...eating the flames?" Jackal's remarked, confusion evident in his voice.

"Thanks for the grub," The dragon slayer remarked, wiping his mouth, "But now I'm going to make you pay for ever harming anyone."

There was a brilliant explosion that momentarily distracted Lucy and she looked to see Natsu surrounded by fiery tendrils of heat, a sinister grin on his face. And though she couldn't hear what he'd said, the brief smile he shot towards the girl was enough to reassure her.

She closed her eyes and let herself fall back into concentrating on the sensations of rippling warmth and power that tingled through every pore.

"Repeat the words Miss Lucy," Capricorn intone, an edge of worry in his voice. "I don't have much longer in this realm. You have to do it quickly."

_"Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens..._

_All the stars, far and wide..._

_Show me thy appearance…"_

There was another blast and a growl of fury, much closer this time.

_"With such shine._

_Oh Tetrabiblos..._

_I am the ruler of the stars…"_

Another crash sounded and she heard Natsu's grunt of pain.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you next, fire wizard."

"Jackal, you must stand down." Larcade's voice filtered over the angered threat Jackal leveled at Natsu. "You will come to regret it."

Anger towards Jackal and Larcade renewed her determination and Lucy sunk her head down lower, concentrating on remembering the words that Capricorn had told her, reveling in the warmth that continued to spread from her chest to her fingers.

_"Aspect become complete..._

_Open thy malevolent gate._

_Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..._

_Shine!"_

* * *

**_"Urano Metria."_ **

Natsu's grin grew as he watched Jackal realize, too late, what the girl was doing and why the dragon slayer had tempted him close enough to the blast.

Jackal had been duped. And he knew it.

Natsu looked towards Capricorn and the girl who stood, form engulfed in light, glittering orbs of color surrounding her. Her eyes were alight with a brilliant white fire of power as she gazed at Jackal and then turned towards Larcade, the blast from her spelling careening towards the two opponents who had abused her.

"Dammit!" Jackal's voice was cut off, the curse the last thing he heard before Natsu shielded his eyes from the overwhelming light that engulfed the entire region, watching, only briefly, as the enemy's form was diminished by the light's brilliant blast. He tried to squint through the glow, and the spray of dust and debris but he couldn't make out any shapes. There was a distinct ringing in his ears, which deafened any other noise.

The dragon slayer let his eyes slip closed and he crouched down to avoid more debris striking him. Tucking his head low, waiting, concentrating on his breathing, ready to spring into action if this didn't work.

Though, he had to admit, the blast and power he could feel rolling from the girl, was immense and impressive.

He sure didn't want to ever be on this girl's bad side, that was certain…

Interestingly, as quickly as the light erupted, it diminished and Natsu lifted his head in surprise, the soft sound of air and falling rock tickling his ears.

There was a soft inhale of breath and Natsu turned to see the girl's eyes lose their focus, the light fading from her person, each bruise and cut becoming more pronounced as she fell to her knees and collapsed on the ground, clutching a brilliant golden key in her hands.

She was down. And, he suspected, she couldn't get back up even if she wanted to. Her energy was utterly spent.

Capricorn knelt by the girl's side, his fingers resting at the pulse point in her neck and Natsu felt a trill of panic at the obvious concern the creature felt for the girl.

Determined to protect the girl, he pivoted towards his enemies and gazed around in surprise and astonishment at the massive crater the girl's blast left behind. And lying in the center of that crater was Jackal, his form still, as he breathed heavily, a deep, pained groan escaping his lips.

What made Natsu start in surprise, however, was Larcade's still form. The man with the cross merely stood among the debris, unaffected and unmoved, peering down at Jackal, a deep frown on his face.

Natsu straightened and readied his stance, mistrust trickling down his spine as he watched Larcade carefully, unwilling to underestimate the man. His fingers danced with flames, anticipating another assault.

"I warned him," Larcade muttered softly, his gaze lifting to meet Natsu's tense form. "I warned him not to let his anger interfere, but here he lays, and now…"

Larcade reached down and touched Jackal's twitching fingers, his pale, hand wrapping around the battered Jackal's wrist.

"Now, I have to say goodbye."

With lightning reflexes, Larcade thrust Jackal's body upwards, high into the sky, with a speed that left Natsu gaping in astonishment and concern.

The calm Larcade was a lot stronger than he originally surmised, it seemed.

"Master Dragneel."

Natsu narrowed his eyes, peering back at Larcade who addressed him, a layer of contempt in his tone.

"It would seem that you've won this round. I must retreat."

There was a massive explosion that erupted overhead and Natsu ducked in surprise, the heat catching him of guard.

'What the hell…?'

"I cannot kill you or the girl yet" Larcade continued, the brilliant orange glow of the blast casting shadows across his cheeks, setting his eyes sparkling. "My father would...disapprove. However, he will be interested to know that you are here and with _her_."

He snorted derisively.

"Of course she would have ensured her daughter's safety by contacting you of all people. I should have seen it coming." Larcade sighed, "Though, let it be known, I will return for both of you, as I'm sure Jackal will as well, once he regenerates. And when that time comes, with my father's approval, I will kill you. Both of you."

He bowed his head briefly in deference towards Natsu.

"Until then, Natsu Dragneel."

And before the dragon slayer could blink, Larcade disappeared, fading into the darkness, eyes unblinking as he did. Natsu stood there, mouth slightly open as he narrowed his gaze to the now still scene, the mountainside a hodgepodge of rubble and debris from the previous fight, though the fighters had mostly disappeared.

Natsu was flummoxed by the turn events. Things had been peaceful, then chaotic, and now peaceful again.

Except, now, he didn't feel at peace. If anything, he was more confused and concerned than he had originally been.

"Master Dragneel, if you would."

Capricorn's voice drew him back towards the girl and Happy, both of whom were unconscious, though the goat man took care to lay them side by side. He peered at Capricorn, a dozen questions on his tongue, but the creature held up a hand to him before he could utter a word.

I know you're confused and have many questions, but I don't have the time to explain them all now. I've used up too much of my energy and only have a moment more to spend here." he intoned to the curious dragon slayer. "You must know, by now that you being here was no accident. Layla Heartfilia sent the missive to you. She called you here to finish what she could not. You , and her daughter are bound by a fate that extends far into your past. Both of you are tied to this thread of a narrative and both of you have to find a way to end it."

Natsu blinked at the creature before him, a frown on his lips. "Listen pal, I don't know anything about any Heartilias or anything."

"Heartfilia."

Capricorn stood and dusted off his jacket before reaching and gently pulling the girl into his arms.

"But you do know of Igneel, do you not dragon slayer?"

Natsu stiffened, more alert to what Capricorn was saying, though he remained guarded. This night was already shaping up to be a strange one.

"What if I were to tell you that Igneel, too plays a part in this and that you can see him again.

"What? How?" Natsu took a step forward, towards Capricorn, a renew trill of eagerness eating at him. "What do you know?"

"Only what my master Layla told me. It's Lucy who knows more" the creature gestured to the girl in his arm, "But her memory's been corrupted for now, locked away as her magic seems to be. I cannot tell you more than that."

Capricorn strode forward quickly, and gently laid the girl, Lucy, into Natsu's arms. Said dragon slayer stared, mouth agape at the turn of events. How had he gotten roped into this?

"I don't have time, nor answers, to give you before I return. Just know, that Lucy is on a quest, for what I do not comprehend or know, and she must complete this quest. You must try to help her in this endeavor. Layla has entrusted her to you. She knows Fairy Tail and she knew your lineage."

Capricorn stepped back, turning briefly to look at Happy who was slowly, and gingerly rising to his feet. He bowed once to the cat and then turned to Natsu, bowing his head again.

"Master Makarov should be receiving a missive as well, but you, Natsu Dragneel, are Lucy's primary reinforcement. Her success in this quest will directly impact your ability to see Igneel and your family again."

And with that, Capricorn disappeared entirely, leaving a shimmer of starlight in his wake.

He peered down at the girl again, noting her matted hair, the blood trickling from a wound on her head and the ghastly bruises he'd seen before, enhanced by more scrapes and scuffs than he'd cared to admit. The girl's fingers and knuckles were bloodied and, at her side, a deep crimson soaked through her blue shirt, filling Natsu with worry.

But, it was her necklace and the familiarity of it that cause his eye.

A delicate silver chain held a silver phoenix in mid-flight and in its mouth a piece of ribbon that looked and smelled a great deal like Igneel and his own scarf.

'Follow the Silverbird.' He recounted the letter's words.

Natsu looked between Happy, who stared blearily at him, back to where Capricorn had stood a moment ago, and around the hillside once more.

What the hell had just happened?

****


	2. Fallen Star

Music:

"Carry Me"- Eurielle

"If you Fall I Will Carry You"- Efisio Cross

"Memoirs of the Forgotten"-Krale

"Heroes are Not Born Out of Happiness"-Mitchell Broom

* * *

**Chapter II: Fallen Star**

**"The wound is the place where the light enters you." -Rumi**

* * *

Jackal was fuming.

He hated being called off of a hunt, especially when his prey had been right there, ripe for destruction.

He had been particularly eager to tear Lucy Heartfilia limb from limb, to watch that those wretched eyes lose their life force. He craved to spill her blood and let to color the dirt beneath her.

He would not be bested again, not be humiliated as he had been with her before.

But, he'd been so close to his goal, and had been called off! He'd been called away from his prize, from his vengeance.

It rankled his senses and sent him stomping and snarling down the long, dark hallway back at the base, back to where his master sat, enthroned and smirking.

"Patience, dear Jackal" had been the greet that awaited him when he and Larcade had reported back.

Their master only smiled, his condescending, heartless smile, eyes soft and malicious at the same time-a contradicting gaze.

"She's fallen right into place. Our little sparrow is where she ought to be. We will observe for now and wait for the perfect moment to strike."

* * *

The girl rested somewhere between oblivion and wakefulness, a strange limbo of the senses.

She hated that feeling and tried to fight against it. She had a job to do, a mission to complete...

There was a thrumming in her ears, the brush of cloth against her cheek coupled with bone-aching exhaustion that pierced each muscle, as Lucy struggled to right herself and open her eyes, to pull her mind from the darkness that crept at the edges, threatening to pull her back under. Urgency rippled through her veins, begging her to awake and arise, to seek to fulfill her promise...

But, as a warmth wrapped itself around her, and her body swayed gently back and forth-weightless, floating, and peaceful-Lucy felt her muscles relax almost against her will, and the aching in her bones begin to lessen. Slowly, her mind stilled, her nose filling with the calming scents of cedar and cinnamon.

The soft movement continued, the warmth cascading down her back, wrapping around her shoulders, and tucking beneath her knees.

Her fight began to still, and Lucy's anxiety began to lessen, the urgency she felt began to fade as she slipped further down in the darkness. She should have cared to wonder what was going on, where she was, how she felt so light, airy, and peaceful, but her mind betrayed her and began to simmer and slow, begging for rest as the warmth encircled her.

Lulled by the gentle rocking, her fists began to unclench, and sleep tugged more firmly against her senses, sending Lucy once more into a state of painless oblivion. At least for now.

* * *

Natsu watched the girl fidget in her sleep, muttering incoherently as her hand grasped onto the end of his scarf, pale fingers entwining with the tassles. He carefully adjusted his hold on her, trying not to jostle the girl too much as he marched further down the hill, back towards a spot that would afford them some cover for the rest of the evening.

He didn't remove her grip from his scarf. He didn't dare.

As he sauntered purposefully down the mountainside, a warm trickle of blood slid slowly down his hand, making Natsu wince in worry at the girl's condition. Her clothes were tattered, and shoes were missing. Even in the dim light of evening, he noted that the jeans she sported, bore a large gash in the knee, her tee shirt torn at the shoulder and ripped along the bottom.

But, it was the growing crimson stain along her side that had alarm bells ringing in Natsu's ears.

She was hurt. Badly. And he needed to do something about it and soon. He couldn't ascertain just how much damage she'd suffered in this darkness, out in the open. But, if he could just get down further, and faster, then he could tend to her wounds.

The fire mage blew out a puff of warm air, agitation tickling his consciousness.

How had he gotten himself into this mess? How had she gotten into this mess? And, how was he going to help her?

Natsu wasn't angry at the predicament. At least, he wasn't angry at the girl for the predicament. He was downright furious with anyone getting hurt, especially on his watch.

But, he wasn't angry about being dragged into this mess, dragged into protecting someone. No, he was perplexed about it all really. He didn't understand how a simple trip, and the hope of finding Igneel would lead to Natsu Dragneel becoming the caretaker of a complete stranger-a stranger, who seemed to be in a greater mess of danger.

He peered down at the girl's necklace again, thoughts swirling at the possible connections to Igneel and the promise that he might be able to find him again. Even if it wasn't as clear as he hoped, there was still some connection, some way that he might understand where his father had gone, why he'd left Natsu behind.

But it was all muddled right now. Nothing made sense. And that is what annoyed Natsu more than anything.

But, stranger or no, that didn't stop the trill of worry that rocketed down his spine as the girl's grip on his scarf suddenly loosened, her hand falling to her side, bouncing lightly, almost lifelessly, with each step he took.

Oh no.

She'd been fine a moment ago, but now, as he peered closely at the girl, he noted that her breathing was shallower than it had been, the muttering had stopped, her face having grown rather pale and grey.

Oh no.

Natsu feared...

"Is she okay?" Happy's quiet voice whispered in his ear, nearly make the fire mage jump in surprise. Perched on his shoulder, the battered and bruised blue cat carefully tightened his hold on Natsu's shoulder, trying to get a better look at the girl in Natsu's arms. "She's going to be alright isn't she?"

For all his injuries, Happy was remarkably resilient and didn't seem to be sporting any serious damage, though he seemed a bit fatigued and winced lightly whenever he turned his head. The scrapes and obvious swelling along his cheek alerted Natsu that he was bruised, but the cat's eyes remained clear and alert as he peered at both his partner and the unconscious girl Natsu carried.

The minimization in pain was probably thanks to the girl-Lucy's-maneuvers as they'd fallen from the sky, and after when she'd protected Happy from Jackal's assault.

At her own expense.

Natsu swallowed back the emotion at the thought of almost losing Happy and nodded once to his little partner who seemed genuinely concerned about their new charge.

"A-aye, I'm sure she'll be good as new once we get to our supplies and get her warmed up and bandaged. His grip gently tightened around the girl's shoulders as he hastened his gait. "Come on. We're almost there."

He hoped he was right.

* * *

'Come now, Lucy,' The man's voice was warm, teasing as he addressed her 'You have to try harder than that! You'll never best me if you don't concentrate.'

He laughed, deeply, jovially, at her expense. But, it wasn't condescending, or unkind. He always teased her. She knew that. She knew he really cared.

She wanted to reach out to the voice, to try to remember the face that matched that teasing tone, but things were...dim. And it frustrated her.

"Easy, just relax. You have to stay still."

There was another voice, close to her ear as Lucy shifted, trying to move, to reach into the darkness to grasp onto something...anything that could shine a light for her, bring back something familiar, something other than this oppressive, numbing darkness.

"It's okay. I've got you. Just relax, okay? Don't try to move…"

"I've got you."

* * *

The next time she woke it was with the stark realization that every muscle in her side felt like it was on fire, forcing the dreamscape, with the familiar man's voice, to the recesses of her mind, nothing more than a muddled mass of blurred images that tickled her senses and made her heart ache with longing.

She laid for a moment, trying to quell the aching and focused on squinting up at the ceiling overhead, though it was too dark to really decipher anything.

But, all too quickly, her more recent memories came to her in a flash, the faces of Jackal and Larcade swimming through her senses, nearly forcing Lucy's heart into her throat.. Lucy's eyes snapped, panic screaming through her veins as she tried to sit up, though her body protested the movement.

She needed to get up, get away. Where were they? What about the others? What had happened-

"Oi! What're you doin'?!" A voice exclaimed, rather agitatedly, on her left, the volume of the shout making her wince, her thumping heart stuttering in surprise at the voice that pierced as she blinked in her dimly lit surroundings, trying to turn her head towards the voice. "You're gonna hurt yourself more if you keep movin' around."

There were quick, heavy footfalls and a familiar-but foreign-face popped into view, fierce pools of liquid emerald narrowed at her as tufts of pink hair framed the face of the fire mage that had stood between her and Jackal's assaults.

She remembered the man assisting her, remembered the beating he'd taken...and the cat...and the goat man...but after that things got a little hazy. There'd been power, of that she was certain, but now Lucy struggled to feel anything. Her body ached fiercely, her hearing felt dulled and muted.

Lucy blinked a few times trying to will thoughts to sort so she could understand where she was and how she'd gotten here, where that may be. Even with dimness surrounding her, and vision still unsteady and blurred, the smell of ash and wood smoke tickled her senses.

However, despite her fuzzy viewpoint, the man's frown was crystal clear.

Lucy tried to sit up again, but a firm, warm hand rested on her shoulder, halting her movement. He put no pressure into his hold but Lucy could tell he was strong and could easily pin her down if he chose to do so. .

"Aren't you listening? I said you need to stop movin' around. You're still pretty banged up" The fire mage, Natsu (she recalled his name), muttered agitatedly at her, a frown pulling at his lips. "Happy'n'I just spent all that time getting some of your injuries bandaged and the bleeding to stop. The least you could do is just lay still a while 'til we can figure things out!"

The admonishment was lighthearted and gruff at the same time and Lucy marvelled at the obvious annoyance that flittered through the man's eyes even as he grinned, peering down his nose at her.

Natsu let out another huff and straightened his position, no longer hunched over Lucy. However, his large hand refused to move from its hold on her shoulder, almost daring her to make a move to rise again.

Lucy did not try to rise, aware that she had no hope of besting Natsu's hold-as gentle as it was-and truth be told, her body was already exhausted from her earlier, meager attempts. It was rather pathetic really.

Instead, the girl sighed in defeat and nodded her head lightly already feeling muscle fatigue and a growing desire to go back to sleep. It was clearly a losing battle.

However, once the fire mage also ascertained that the girl wouldn't attempt to sit up again, he reached around, to the back of her hair and slowly raised her head himself, scooting something beneath it before laying her down again.

The girl bit back a hiss of pain at the movement, noting how her side twinged and spasmed, aching and irritated by the slightest shift of her person. She felt Natsu's warm, calloused fingers tense and still near the base of her head as he watched her carefully, assessing her pain level, his lips pulled into a tight line as his brows knit together. .

She felt winded by the sudden onslaught of physical agony..

Thankfully, though, after a moment the fiery anguish finally dulled a little, leaving behind a fierce ache that annoyed her more than caused overwhelming pain. She could manage.

Natsu only moved back from her when he too determined that she wasn't going to writhe in discomfort any more.

The fire mage's brilliant green eyes shone even in the dim lighting, betraying the obvious relief he felt at the change in the situation, the sharp, pointed orbs softening slightly as he watched the girl. And, now that she was propped up slightly, Lucy could see a fire nearby, a blue cat curled near the flames, and the entrance to a cave looming ahead of her, even against the darkened sky.

They were in a cave.

Natsu had brought them to a cave.

Lucy also noted that her shirt had been torn nearly in half, the bottom portion missing entirely, exposing her stomach to the cool night air, if not for the rough bandages that encircled her waist. She lay on a small bedroll, propped up bit what felt like a large bag, with a rough-but warm-blanket about her legs.

He'd been taking care of her, dressing her wounds...

But...Lucy didn't understand when or how or why…

"Why are you helping me?"

The question left her lips before she could think too hard on the implications of her question.

Lucy hazarded a glance towards Natsu, watching the man's eyes narrow in thought as he scratched the back of his head absently, lips pursing for a moment before he spoke.

"To tell ya the truth, I don't really know" He remarked off-handedly, his smile only faltering for a moment. "That goat man seemed pretty certain that I could help ya, but I don't rightly know why I decided to or what I can offer you anyway.."

He stopped speaking, his gaze flittering towards her neck.

"Though I will say that there's something familiar about that necklace of yours."

Lucy's hand slowly trailed up towards her neck, her fingers grazing the delicate chain and the pendant upon it. Casting her eyes down she noted the bird in flight, the small ribbon of fabric it carried…

"Why?"

She gazed back towards Natsu, her thoughts eager to hear his answer, hopeful that they'd spark some sort of memory, a semblance of cohesion to the muddled mess that were her muddied memories. Maybe he could fill in the blanks?

Natsu snorted in reply and shook his head derisively, a frown marring his features as he fiddled with the hem of his open vest, his bare arms twitching from the movement. "I don't rightly know," He noted softly, his gaze faraway, unseeing. "The smell perhaps reminds me of…" he shook his head again, rosy hair bouncing lightly, and blinked a few times, his gaze settling again on Lucy..

"I couldn't tell ya what the connection is really, but I hope that it might be somethin' that helps me find my dad."

His father?

She hadn't expected that comment to come from his lips.

Natsu stretched his arms above his head and exhaled loudly, his gaze shifting back towards the ceiling. Lucy could hear the way his back crackled, and could see the way his muscles tightened as he flexed and contracted his fingers, opening and closing each hand into fists. "I-" he began slowly "I don't really have an answer for you. At least not one that'll make ya happy." He finally remarked lowly. "We both have questions that we want answered and I think," he dropped his hands at his side and locked eyes with her once more, "I think that there might be a connection between my dad and you."

"I-I don't know...or I don't think I know your dad" She murmured, peering at Natsu, studying his face to try to see if a spark of familiarity struck her.

But there was no recognition, not like there had been with Larcade and Jackal. She couldn't see anything in Natsu that elicited a sensation of familiarity. He was completely foreign to her.

There was a beat of silence between them before Natsu leaned back and cast his gaze towards the ceiling again, his expression remained neutral..

"Nah, I didn't figure you did. You woulda told me so, I think. Just woulda been nice to find some answers for once" He smiled lightly and peeked over at Lucy.

"As it stands though, the goat man said I had to help ya" he remarked softly watching her, his eyes betraying the thing sparkle of sorrow therein, "and I couldn't just leave ya there by yourself. You probably woulda died. So, here we are in this cave for now."

His answer did nothing, answered nothing, except to reinforce that this perfect stranger was far kinder than she probably deserved. He owed her nothing, but he was putting himself on the line for her.

It seemed as if they were both lost somehow. Lost and alone, looking for something, some semblance of familiarity.

And though Lucy didn't really know how to respond to his comment, she felt the urge to say something. But, to her chagrin and frustration, she could think of nothing to say to comfort or assuage Natsu's concerns about finding his father. Her memory loss angered her, frustrated and flustered her senses.

.So, they sat there for a few awkward moments, staring at one another, Lucy noting how intense Natsu's gaze could be, the electric green of his irises swirling and assessing her. All too quickly, though, his attention shifted from staring straight into her eyes, to peeking down at towards her torso before flitting back to her face. He frowned but said nothing, only turning his gaze back to the ceiling another huff of air escaping his lungs.

"So much for easy answers" he muttered so quietly Lucy wasn't sure she was meant to hear what he'd had to say, before clearing his throat and turning and leaning forward, towards Lucy once more.

"How's your pain?"

His hands hovered close to her side as he angled his face close to the girl's-far closer than Lucy had anticipated or expected. His breath washed over the girl's cheeks as he waited for her answer.

"Uh-um, I'm alright, I think" She stuttered out, anxious at their proximity.

Natsu's warm hand rested gently against her side, the weight of his appendage sending a shiver of pain through her, making her flinch and try to angle backwards out of reflex. This movement, of course, caused more trickles of pain to worm their way through her body.

She willed herself to stop fidgeting and focused on her breathing instead, as nausea roiled in her belly.

The fire mage frowned as he noticed her attempts to shy away from his touch and peered down at her side carefully, warm hand hovering just above the larger wound her flesh bore.

"I think ya probably busted some of that bandages holding everything together" He muttered thoughtfully, reaching towards the wrappings that surrounded her exposed midriff. "I'll probably have to rewrap everything again soon."

A growl rumbled in Natsu's chest as he retracted his hand.. "Ya really banged yerself up, you know. Those two who attacked you weren't pulling their punches."

Natsu retreated with a grimace of distaste, lifting himself from his position on the floor and walking towards the fire, muttering angrily as he went. Lucy didn't quite catch what he was saying this time, the spasms of pain distracting enough to muffle her hearing.

The sudden mood shift left Lucy a little confused. She wasn't sure what'd happened to cause the man to get so angry all of a sudden, but Lucy could tell by the waves of fury that seemed to roll off his person, that he was agitated by...something.

However, rather than voicing his distaste aloud (which made Lucy wonder if she was the cause) Natsu moved towards the sleeping blue cat who'd been left near the warmth of the orange firelight. Crouching down, Natsu carefully rubbed the cat's head, a smile on his lips-and a shift in his mood, which, again, sent Lucy reeling-as he watched the animal stir beneath his touch.

"Hey little buddy," He murmured softly, his voice gentle and jovial, "I promised ta wake ya when she woke up. You can come say hello if ya like."

He peered quickly at Lucy, his smile unwavering as she watched the cat slowly blink up at Natsu before turning towards her.

"You're awake!"

The shout was louder than she expected and Lucy was even more surprised to find a little blue cat staggering towards her, a look of utter determination on his face as he attempted to march stoically towards Lucy.

If she were being honest, Lucy couldn't deny the sense of relief she felt at seeing the cat awake and alert, and stumbling towards her. She'd been worried for his health after their fall and she'd hoped that there hadn't been any lasting damage. It was a comfort to see him awake and talking (even if the notion of a talking cat was a bit alarming).

But, her thoughts were surprised into silence when said blue cat carefully crawled in her lap, careful not to step anywhere near her injured side (though his weight did cause a bit of discomfort, she had to admit) and wrapped his paws around her neck, bowing his head under her chin.

"I'm so glad you're awake!" He cried, his grip tightening on her "Natsu was real worried for a bit and I…" the cat trailed off for a moment, his voice growing smaller.

"I needed to make sure to say thank you for saving me."

* * *

Natsu stood back, giving his friend room to fawn over their new acquaintance. Happy had been adamant about helping Lucy, determined to thank her for what she'd done to protect him, once Natsu had retold the story to his little blue friend.

"She really did that?" Happy had been amazed at the girl's bravery "Wow, she's as stupid as you are."

And her stupidity.

"Did she think she wouldn't get hurt doing that? She didn't seem all that strong. Not like you. You survive because you're stupid strong...she's just kinda...stupid brave."

Despite the cat's teasing comments, Natsu could see the appreciation that sparkled in Happy's eyes as he'd watched over Lucy through the few days she slumbered in their little hideaway cave, tucked beneath Natsu's blanket.

It had taken Natsu quite a while to convince Happy to get some rest as well. He'd been nervously hovering at Natsu's side as they'd tried to stem Lucy's wound, and Natsu could have sworn that Happy had paled considerably when Natsu had been forced to tear the hem of Lucy's shirt to expose a rather large gash along the girl's side, oozing blood, specked with dirt and debris. Surrounding that wound had a smattering of angry purple bruises.

It looked painful and once Happy had learned what Lucy had done to try and protect him, his concern and horror at the girl's injuries had increased tenfold.

Natsu had a time slowing the blood flow and cleaning her wounds. The girl, even in her unconscious state fought-however feebly-to get away from Natsu's touch. It had been clear that any movement or exacerbation of the wound, caused her pain.

Despite this, though, Natsu was able to get the wound cleaned (with Happy's help) and the potion he always carried with him, coaxed down the girl's throat. He also made sure that the all too familiar salve (that he had to use so many times before) had been spread onto the bandages that now wound themselves around the girls middle, protecting the torn, jagged flesh and the angry mottled bruises from outside exposure.

Only when everything had been cleaned and bandaged had Happy begrudgingly taken the same potion he'd given Lucy and sent the little blue cat to rest by the warm fire he'd built up. The bruised kitten had only stayed awake a few moments, casting a few concerned glances towards Natsu and Lucy before his eyes had drifted shut and he slumbered off the lingering pain.

Natsu, for all his bruises and scrapes, also took a few swigs of the potion and applied salve to his more burdensome wounds (particularly the angry bruising on his stomach, before hunkering down to keep watch, his muscles coiled and ready to spring at the first sign of an assault, his mind anxiously whirring-refusing to give him rest.

He'd been fearful that they'd been followed and that the two assailants that had fought so hard to procure the girl were on their trail.

This worry, however, remained unfounded, as several hours passed without any sign or semblance of intruders invading their cave at the base of the mountain. Even as dawn's light came filtering through the entrance, no one came to cause harm.

Noonday passed and nothing happened, the only signs of life the fire wizard could detect were the haggard breathing of his new charge and the soft mewling sighs of his closest companion. Occasionally, Natsu could make out the soft chittering of the birds in the trees, but mostly, there was a stillness, and an eerie quiet the filt his veins with both calm and concern, an anxiety that he couldn't seem to shake.

Natsu only finally decided to leave the cave to retrieve water and some food when late afternoon began to stretch towards evening and he could not longer ignore the rumbling in his stomach, nor the dwindling kindling pile.

He didn't stray too far from the cave,only venturing to a nearby stream that trickled down the mountainside, towards the open harbor. Hastily the man filled his canteen, and scramble to catch some of the many fish that milled in the stream.

The fish catching didn't work out as well as he'd hoped…

But the water had been cool and refreshing to his stomach, which tided him over long enough to venture back to the cave to check on his charges.

And it was in this still moment, this quiet solitude that afforded Natsu a clear connection to the blonde girl who slept fitfully, wrapped in a blanket, atop his bedroll.

It turned out that Lucy talked in her sleep.

'I can't just leave you mama' she'd mumbled, her voice a cracked whisper, hoarse and emotional. 'I don't know how to find them. I can't do it on my own.'

Natsu had stepped closer to the girl, curiosity piqued as he listened to her mutter almost incoherently in her fitful slumber, watching as her thin, pale fingers, had wrapped themselves around the edges of the blanket he'd draped on her.

'I don't know if I can find the keys or if they'll even believe me there. How can I convince them that I'm on their side? That I'm not with...And what if I can't find him? What if...what if Fairy Tail doesn't know where I can find Salamander? What if they've never seen him?'

Natsu had nearly fallen on his face from leaning so far forward, straining to hear the girl's words. He hadn't expected her to say...to mark on the fact that she needed to get to Fairy Tail.

Or that she was looking for Salamander.

But now, as he watched Happy dote on Lucy, marking on how stupid she was and seeking the gentle strokes her her fingers against his own neck, Natsu couldn't help but wonder what this Lucy girl really knew and what she was hiding. He wasn't sure if he could trust her, especially with her intimate knowledge of Fairy Tail and that name…

There had to be a connection between them, something that drew the girl to...

That nickname.

She was looking for Salamander and didn't even realize…

Natsu frowned to himself as he crossed his arms and turned towards the fire, wondering how he could help the girl remember what she'd forgotten and get the answers he desperately sought, and now knew that Lucy could help answer.


	3. Discomfort

**Music:**

**"I wandered lonely as a cloud"**

* * *

**"We consume our tomorrows by fretting about our yesterdays." -Persius**

**Chapter III: Discomfort**

Natsu couldn't sleep.

Despite the pull of weariness in his limbs and the soft rumble of his stomach that he couldn't satiate since they were out of provisions, his mind whirred at lightning speed, unanswered questions percolating and growing with each passing moment.

These questions and concerns were drawing his attention, his ire, and his curiosity.

Green eyes narrowed, a frown pulling at his lips as Natsu strained his ears to listen. He detected the soft 'drip' of rainfall outside as it splashed easily against the grey stone entry. He heard the snap of the last dregs of twigs in their wood supply as flames licked over them, brandishing the encroaching darkness of nightfall from the cavern.

Idly he played with a small spark of flame along his fingertips, transferring the flickering orange burst of light from one digit to the next.

But his eyes never strayed from watching the girl, forcing back the questions that bubbled to his lips.

He listened to Lucy's gentle snoring, noting the soft-if strained-inhales of breath as she slumbered off the pain and potion he'd urged her to drink.

It took quite a bit of coaxing to convince the wary girl to test the potion to begin with so he was somewhat pleased when she'd had her bandages rebound, and the medication flowing through her veins again. Exhaustion, combining with the medicine, easily pushed her back towards dreams.

He hoped it would help her regain some of her strength for he knew they couldn't stay where they were much longer. Soon enough someone would come looking for them.

Whether it be friend or foe.

As it was though, they couldn't even attempt to make a break for town or beyond until Lucy could stand of her own volition. And while he was somewhat skilled at tending to injuries-being the recipient of several himself over the course of many years-Natsu was no healer or doctor. He didn't know how deep or severe her injuries were.

He had to trust that Porylursica's healing potion would tide them over until they could get to Fairy Tail and have Lucy properly tended to.

He'd also have to trust that Lucy was a lot stronger than she looked right now. Sporting those bruises and scrapes the way she was didn't have him convinced.

But…

His thoughts drifted back to that spell she'd cast under the guidance of their ally, Capricorn. There'd been a surge in power almost overwhelming in nature, as she'd managed to blast an attack at Jackal and Larcade.

But it had taken all of her energy to do that. And now, they were sequestered in the confines of a rather impressive, if rather damp cave.

And when one was injured the damp and the cold were unwise living conditions.

The fire mage shook his head derisively to clear his thoughts.

Too many things to be concerned about. Too many variables to consider.

And Natsu wasn't one for overthinking things. It only ever gave him a headache.

They'd have to take it one step at a time. And that first step was to get Lucy on her feet and walking once more.

After that?

They'd figure something out.

"Mama"

The fire mage's ears perked at the word and he sat straighter, the small flame on his fingertips snuffing out as his attention fully centered towards the slumbering girl as she muttered in her sleep, fingers gripping the coarse and worn blanket about her shoulders. Her voice was low, strained, and filled with pain.

Natsu's chest seized briefly at the girl's pitiful call. He felt a familiar longing for Igneel though he never expressed the pain aloud.

But it was a familiar pain he heard in Lucy's voice, even under the guise of sleep. And he feared that something terrible had befallen Lucy's mother, especially if he were to believe what Jackal had said.

But he couldn't articulate that to the girl. Not yet.

"Mama, I'm sorry. I don't know how to find...to…risky..."

The girl's voice drifted and Natsu's brows knit together as he concentrated on what she'd said.

She knew something.

Even if her memory were corrupted, she knew something, deep down. And that knowledge was beginning to shine through in her sleep.

She'd done that earlier too.

When she'd mentioned Salamander.

And Fairy Tail.

Which is why Natsu had stayed alert, watching the girl and waiting to see if she'd say anything else. He wanted to know what she knew, hidden away in the deepest recesses of her mind.

He wanted to know how they were connected...

How Lucy knew Igneel.

"I won't risk them," the girl continued, a frown pulling at her lips as she shifted in her sleep. Her brows knit together in consternation, frown tugging at her lips as she shifted in her sleep, wincing with each movement. "I-can't...can't allow them to know...it would….sorry Mama…I have to protect..."

Her words were coming out slower, more incoherently and it frustrated Natsu that he'd not heard anything new.

Nothing that would help him understand where to go from here.

With a huff, the fire mage scowled towards the fire, averting his gaze from the girl who continued to mutter incoherently, blonde hair falling haphazardly about her marred face, tickling Happy's side as he, too, shifted in his sleep, closer to the girl.

That move made Natsu grin, a soft warmth filling his chest as he watched his little friend take an instant shine to the wounded girl who was nothing more to the two of them than a stranger. But, that stranger had saved Happy's life and the small blue cat wasn't keen to forget it.

Nor to show his affection it would seem.

'Still…' Natsu thought silently as he rose, stretching his arms overhead, working out the kinks in his neck.

'I don't know anything about her or what this quest is.'

His hand reached into his pocket and Natsu carefully pulled out the golden key that Capricorn had left with Lucy.

Natsu had forgotten to give the key back to the girl, distracted with rebinding her injuries.

He'd have to remedy that soon.

But, in silence of the cave, with the only other occupants slumbering deeply, Natsu had time to study the glittering object.

It was obvious that there was power in the key-a deep and old magic wrapped itself around the trinket. But, for Natsu, this magic was foreign. It wasn't something comfortable for him, didn't feel natural. It wasn't like the magic he could feel coursing through his veins.

Still though, there was something special about the key, with its intricately carved handle-a golden ram's head and zodia insignia emblazoned on the front of the object. The metal was also warm to the touch, and felt heavy in his hand-far heavier than it ought, judging by its size.

'Lucy is a holder type wizard' he surmised carefully, squinting at the key, turning the object over carefully in his hand, wondering what would happen once he returned it to her.

He wondered if it'd help her regain some of her power back, break the seal that Capricorn said was there.

Because it didn't make sense that the girl would think she was devoid of magic when she could enact such a powerful spell. No amount of manipulation or force could imbue someone devoid of magic with a magic not their own.

No, Capricorn could not have done such a thing. He could, however, enhance the girl's power and allow her to use what she had available.

That spell had been Lucy's own.

And that left Natsu confused, more questions formulating in his mind, more issues he'd have to investigate on their journey.

"Dammit" he muttered, annoyed, frowning towards the entrance of the cave, watching as a flash of lightning streaked the sky "Nothing makes sense."

He'd have to start asking her questions when she woke up.

"Virgo, she won't…"

Natsu turned back towards the girl, watching as she curled in on herself, a frown tugging at her bruised lips.

'Virgo'

'Capricorn'

She knew celestial spirits.

He ran a hand through his unruly hair.

Nothing she was saying was making sense. And if they were going to get the answers they needed, and if he were going to hopefully see Igneel again, they'd have to decipher her dreams, and jog her foggy memory.

And do it before those attackers returned.

* * *

Things were hazy, images muted and indecipherable as Lucy strained against the pull of sleep, trying to sort out what she was seeing.

But colors blended together, faces blurred and voices sounded muffled. She felt as though cotton were stuffed in her ears.

"Princess…"

The call came a few times to her, from a voice that struck a familiar cord in her, though she couldn't place the face it belonged to.

And that annoyed Lucy.

She hated feeling helpless.

She hated not understanding, not comprehending what was happening around her.

And it felt like something had been torn from her, something she desperately needed.

A piece of her identity was missing. And she needed it back.

She wanted it back.

"Just listen…"

Another voice filtered through her thoughts, a warmth wrapping around her aching head.

She knew that voice too. The familiar tug at her heart signaled that this voice was important.

Very important.

A sharp pain shot through her and Lucy winced, the images instantly fading as she was jerked to wakefulness, the walls and ceiling of the cave coming in to crisp focus.

The girl let out a shiver as a soft blast of cool air brushed over her exposed midriff. Even with the bandages about her stomach, the air prickled her skin, goosebumps popping up wherever the wind kissed her.

Hesitantly, Lucy placed her palms against the ground, and slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing at the shooting pain that pulsed from her stomach.

But, she was pleased to note that the pain wasn't as bad as it had been. Her flesh didn't feel as tender. Just very stiff.

Slowly the girl brought her hands to her face and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, feeling the tugs of sleep still pulling at her consciousness.

She was still so tired. Depleted in many ways.

But…

The girl peered towards the entrance of the cave, noting the soft light streaming through. It was still early, the sun still stammering to rise as peaches and soft, milky blues streaked across the portion of the sky she could see.

She turned then towards the small, smoldering wood pile, more ash than anything at this point as the flames had died down some time ago.

And, other than a few 'drips' from some unknown water source nearby, the cave was largely silent.

Lucy sucked in a breath and slowly let it out again, trying to quell the unease that had settled in her stomach, making her nauseous and anxious at the same time as she realized that she was alone.

Natsu was gone.

Happy was gone.

And though she tried to not allow the thoughts to bother her, to intrude on the small victory of beginning to feel more herself, Lucy couldn't quite hold back the panic that rose in her throat at the notion that she'd been abandoned once more.

This was the second time that she'd woken up completely alone. And the last time hadn't ended so well for her…

"Hey, are you alright?"

The girl jerked her head up in surprise and shock at how close Natsu was to her, his face inches from her own as he frowned at her.

"I was callin' ya for a bit but you were starin' off at the wall. You okay?" He continued peering into her eyes, his own narrowing in assessment.

"Does your head hurt?" He queried, voice low and thoughtful, "Or your side? I can give you more of the healing potion is you need it."

Lucy gaped for a full minute unsure of how to process what had just happened. She could feel a warmth gathering on her cheeks as she stared back at Natsu, wondering when and how he'd gotten so close to her without her noticing.

She also couldn't figure out why he was so close to her, invading what shred of personal space she still held.

Natsu poked at her cheek, making Lucy wince in surprise and frown at the fire mage before her.

"What was that for?" She queried, her throat scratchy from disuse. "You don't just go around poking people. That's rude."

"Well, you weren't answerin'" he replied nonchalantly, scooting back and slowly clamoring to his feet, "I had to get your attention somehow. That's rude too ya know."

He grinned at the girl, flashing some rather pointed incisors, his eyes sparkling in jest.

"Besides," He retorted, "I had to get that dumb look of your face. You were glaring a hole in the wall."

Lucy's mouth fell open, and she heard Happy's distinct laughter in the background as she glowered at the sudden change in Natsu's demeanor and behavior as he snorted at his own comment, a low laugh escaping his lips as he peered towards Happy.

"Aye, she looked like a sunfish!" Happy chortled obviously on the mend (much to her pleasure, though he still looked a little haggard and scraped up). At least he felt well enough to willingly poke fun at the newest member of the group.

And Lucy had gleaned enough from her first interactions with the cat to note that this would be a normal comment from the blue feline. He'd already made a few remarks on her appearance and...weight...though it seemed halfhearted, especially with how much he's thanked her for what she'd done when he'd been hurt.

But Natsu's comment? She hadn't spent enough time with him-at least not conscious-to know what his personality was like.

Why would he…?

The girl averted her gaze, peering down at the threadbare blanket that pooled in her lap, noting a few wayward strands of blue cat hair that wove through the fabric. It was obvious the blanket was well used by the pair. So maybe they were a lot alike in personality as well?

At least she hoped that was the case.

"Hey."

Lucy's head shot up again, and she winced as her head protested the movement, her neck giving an uncomfortable creak.

Natsu's face still held mirth, his grin more lopsided this time as he watched her. But, his eyes were soft in their assessment as he leaned against the nearest wall, arms crossed, sandaled feet jutting out before him leisurely.

The girl didn't escape the way his face contorted when she'd winced, however briefly the look flittered across Natsu's face.

"Are you okay?"

There was that question again, this time, softer, if more pointed. Natsu fixed Lucy with a firm stare, his expression remaining accommodating and kind as he waited for her answer.

The fire mage was deliberately trying to appear non-threatening to her, it seemed. His previous comment meant to set her at ease, break the tension if you will.

So, Natsu and Happy were far more alike than she'd originally supposed-both rather insensitive when it came to jokes but sincere when it came to compassion.

"I'm...alright," The girl swallowed back the anxiety that was still eating at her at the memory of waking alone, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks. .

Even though she didn't know him well, didn't know Happy well, she still hadn't wanted to be left alone again.

That thought made her feel a little pathetic.

"Well, I can give ya some more of the potion if ya need it, but we're going ta have ta try to get moving towards town soon enough so I need ta know how you feel and what you're capable of doin'" Natsu queried in a rush, his eyes betraying his hesitation to pursue movement as he took in her condition.

He didn't seem too convinced that she was well enough to move even as he seemed to war with himself about the urgency in the need to move from the cave.

Lucy swallowed back the aches and nodded her head lightly, familiar spark of guilt worming its way through her chest at reality that she'd dragged Natsu and Happy into this mess in the first place.

"I'm okay" She murmured, giving Natsu a soft smile, "We can leave whenever you need us too. Wouldn't want to stay here too long."

And in truth, she didn't want to remain too long either. She had a mission…

She had to get to Fairy Tail. That much she knew. And lying about in this cave wouldn't help her get there.

With a small grunt of exertion, the girl rocked to the side and moved to her knees slowly angling to put one foot beneath her at a time. Her limbs felt shaky and unsteady as she managed to get both feet planted on the floor, scraped palms braced on either side as she pushed herself upwards.

She managed to get upright for a moment before her knees buckled and her head swam from the sudden shift in position. She felt herself pitch forward, her stomach aching in protest at the sudden movements straining the binding that held her wound secure.. .

"Easy!" Natsu bit out, hands reaching out to stead her shoulders, bracing her weight with his hold as her legs refused to function of their own volition. "You can't just jump up like that! Your legs need to wake up first."

He was frowning at her again, dark eyes glittering in annoyance and confusion as he watched her.

Lucy, too, frowned, analyzing Natsu as he helped her back into a sitting position, pulling his pack behind her back to prop her upright more.

What did he mean by wake up? It hadn't been that long.

"Why would my legs need to…?" She trailed off, brows furrowing as Natsu quirked his head to the side thoughtfully, as he watched her.

"You've been sleepin' four full days and a half" he remarked as though it was the most obvious thing.

He seemed even more surprised at the situation they found themselves in as Lucy's mouth dropped open in surprise at Natsu's assertions about her being asleep for so long.

Surely it hadn't been that long.

Had it?

"You didn't realize?" he queried softly. "Your legs should be numb from disuse by now! Can't you feel that?"

Lucy peered down at her legs, wincing at how dirty and torn her jeans were and marveled at the fact that she wasn't feeling anything. She knew what it felt like when her leg fell asleep, but now?

Lucy shook her head dismissively.

She didn't feel anything.

Natsu's frown deepened at her and without a word he crouched in front of her, grabbed the girl's left foot, and began to rub the heel and ankle roughly, his calloused fingers running over her bare, scraped, and dirty food.

"What are you doing!" The girl screeched in protest and embarrassment, trying to pull her foot out of the fire mage's hold. "Stop that!"

Lucy let out a hiss of pain as her foot started to tingle painfully, pinpricks shooting through her toes, to her heel and up her ankle, worming its way through her leg.

"Ouch!" She hissed trying to kick Natsu again, a blush searing her cheeks and warming her neck. "Let go!"

It was gross. She didn't want him touching her feet. She felt disheveled and sweaty and disgusting...

"I aint' doin' it," he snapped back, "We need to get your feet to wake up."

"Wow Lucy you look like a tomato" Happy retorted waddling to the girl's side, "Does it tickle?"

Lucy bit back a groan of frustration and tried again to pull her foot away from the decidedly strong fire mage, ignoring the blue cat entirely.

To her surprise, she succeeded in pulling her foot away from Natsu's firm grip. However, she soon realized it was because he meant to grab her other foot.

"Stop!" She snapped agitatedly, as he started to minister to her other foot, groaning as more painful shooting tingles rocketed through that limb too.

It was torture.

"Let go!"

"Just let me help ya" Natsu growled back, "It'll take forever if I don't help ya with it!"

* * *

Natsu wasn't expecting Lucy's kick to the jaw.

Nor was he expecting it to be so powerful.

But, he noted with some satisfaction, her legs were starting to gain feeling back in them as her kick sent him reeling backwards. Out of the corner of his eye he noted how the girl curled her legs closer to herself, glowering at the fire mage and Happy.

Lucy's face was alight, rosy in hue even as she winced.

She was embarrassed, though he wasn't sure why.

"Don't touch me!" She snipped lowly, chocolate eyes glittering dangerously "That was…" the girl hesitated "You-you don't do that! It's invasion of privacy...and it as gross. I feel so gross! You don't...ugh..."

The girl averted her gaze and went back to rubbing her own feet, wincing as she did so.

"Privacy?" Natsu was confused, "I wasn't invading any privacy. I was just trying ta help ya. I didn't mean anything by it."

And truly he didn't. He couldn't figure out why the girl was suddenly so defensive and wary of him. Sure she'd been attacked, but why should his assistance cause her so much frustration?

Besides, it was just a little dirt on her feet anyway. It's not like they were disgusting or anything. In fact, Natsu had seen much worse on himself after long weeks of foregoing bathing.

He couldn't figure out why she'd feel so put off by the prospect of him helping her like that.

"I"m sorry," He finally muttered, still unsure of why he was apologizing, but-taking a closer look at Lucy's wary expression-felt an apology might be the best course of action.

Natsu noted that as the rose color left the girl's cheeks, Lucy looked paler than before, her chocolate eyes shining brightly against her delicate and bruised flesh and that had him concerned.

"Aw come on Lucy, Natsu was just trying to help" Happy intoned cheerily, drawing both his and the girl's attention to the blue cat. "It's not like he thinks you're cute or anything."

Lucy glowered at the cat, the pink returning to her cheeks as she spluttered indignantly. Natsu noted that the girl was still uncomfortable or unfamiliar with Happy's way of trying to set people at ease with his jokes. He'd noticed that with his own poor attempt to lighten the mood earlier as well. But, he hoped that she'd get used to it sooner or later, or this would be a very long and uncomfortable journey back to Fairy Tail. .

"Can it, cat" She remarked sourly, "These are my feet, so they're my say."

"Yeah I guess I can see that," Happy replied after a moment as he peered up at Lucy, his face thoughtful.

Natsu's brows shot up in surprise at the seemingly mature response Lucy had gotten from his friend.

"Besides, your feet would probably make Natsu's poor hands smell gross. Who wants their hands to smell like feet? Ew."

Natsu bit back a laugh even as he inwardly cringed, watching the way Lucy's face contorted from surprise back to annoyance at the cat.

'And there's the joke' he thought, unwilling to open his mouth, lest a snigger escape.

"You're rude too, Happy," Lucy snipped, though her indignation seemed a little less fierce than it had a moment ago.

The blonde girl shook her head derisively before returning to rubbing her sore feet, muttering incoherently as she did.

* * *

"It'd be best to give them a little while to wake up," Natsu's voice was quiet this time as he addressed the girl, "before you try to stand again. Happy and I can get everything packed to go."

Lucy only nodded quietly, still smarting from her embarrassing fall and the unusually attentive...and uncomfortable ministrations the fire mage had rendered her.

Her feet still prickled painfully as she carefully massaged her heel and calf, working her hands upward, mind whirring at a rapid pace, wondering why she seemed to be missing so many pockets of time. Even if she'd been sleeping, it still rankled Lucy's senses that she'd missed out on so much and wasn't even aware of it.

She wasn't angry at Natsu and Happy so much as she was frustrated with the helplessness coursing through her.

And she felt no closer to understanding why she was here and what purpose this mission would serve.

"Here."

Something slammed into the girl's face, startling Lucy out of her thoughts.

Surprised she grabbed at the material that covered her head and pulled it into her lap, staring in confusion at the long vest she held. A rich blue color, with vibrant orange piping, the vest sported one long sleeved arm while the other remained sleevele. The collar was raised and a series of hidden clasps acted as closures along the front.

She turned her attention back to Natsu, noting he sported a similar style though his vest was open, shorter, and entirely devoid of sleeves and a collar.

"Your shirt's ruined so it'd been better to put this on, at least while we're in Hargeon" Natsu muttered lowly, his face unreadable as he watched the girl, "If someone is after you, it's better that we don't draw attention to ourselves."

Hargeon…?

Why did that sound so familiar?

"How far is Hargeon from Magnolia?" Lucy muttered quietly, watching how Natsu's brows knit together thoughtfully. "How far is it from Hargeon to Fairy Tail?"

She knew she had to get to Fairy Tail. That was the primary goal. And she knew that Fairy Tail was located in Magnolia Town.

And if someone were coming after her, it would be better if…

"We can't risk going to Hargeon. Or, I can't risk it," She murmured, "I don't want anyone to get hurt...because I…"

She wasn't sure how to put in words the terror she felt at Jackal and Larcade returning. Even though she'd evaded them for the few days that she'd been unconscious, sleeping off the pain and injuries, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't be back.

"I can protect you." Natsu's voice was hard and his eyes intense as he frowned at what Lucy was implying with her comment. "And I can protect Hargeon. I won't let anything happen. I promise."

"I…"

"Besides, it's a half day's train ride to Magnolia and Fairy Tail and the closest train," the fire mage shuddered at the word, though Lucy was uncertain why, "Is in Hargeon. Even if you wanted to walk there, we'd have to get supplies. We don't have any food or water to last us that long."

Natsu flexed his fingers, letting a few sparks of flames dance from his fingertips.

"But I won't let anything happen, I promise."

The fire mage looked so determined standing there, face and pink hair haloed by the streaming sunlight that filtered into the cave. His expression was focused, lines creasing his brow as he drew his eyes into a glare.

There was such a sincerity in his gaze, and in his words that Lucy found herself nodding, a strange warmth settling in her chest, helping to uncoil the knots of anxiety she'd been feeling since opening her eyes.

Seeing her acquiescence to his comment and determination to act as a bodyguard and protector, Natsu relaxed his face, his eyes lightening and a grin alighting his features.

"Good! Now, get dressed and we'll make a break for it, aye? Happy help get the pack ready."

Natsu gestured at the pack that was still nestled behind Lucy and the girl watched as Natsu stood there, adjusting his sandal and the cuffs on his wrists, before moving towards the last burning embers of the fire.

Leaning down the mage sucked in a breath, and with it the last dregs of flames that still simmered in the wood pile.

Lucy's mouth fell open in shock at the sight and Happy chuckled.

"It's a spell," he remarked quietly, "Igneel taught it to him. It's called dragon slayer magic."

Even with her limited memory, she knew she'd never seen a spell like that before. It was...unusual but fascinating at the same time.

Natsu turned and grinned at her again, wiping his mouth as he stood straight once more.

"The spell gives me the powers of a dragon," he remarked simply, "Which makes meals easier sometimes when food is low."

Lucy only nodded again, unsure of what to say or how to comprehend what had happened.

And so they sat there in silence for a moment, the only sounds around them being the Happy's movements as he'd removed the pack from behind Lucy's person, and was busily arranging the items for easier transport.

Lucy and Natsu, though, were locked in an awkward staring contest, neither quite ready to make a move, nor speak a word.

That is until Natsu quirked his head to the side for a second time that day, only this time his face contorted into a look of confusion.

"Why aren't ya changing?" He queried "The sooner you're ready to go, the sooner we can leave. Maybe get somethin' in our bellies."

The young man crossed his arms expectantly as Happy dragged the pack to the fire mage's feet.

Both flame wielder and blue feline stared at Lucy, waiting.

The girl instantly balked as realization struck her.

The blush returned to her cheeks as her glare returned.

"I'm not going to change in front of you, you idiots" She muttered heatedly, eyes blazing. "Now leave!"

'But why?" Natsu was confused again, his voice pitching higher as he stared at the girl incredulity alight in eyes.

* * *

It took Natsu getting pelted with a few small rocks and an angry tirade from a bruised an battered girl, for him to leave the cave entirely, still uncertain as to why it had been such an issue to begin with.

But Lucy had been adamant, her eyes betraying the fury that lingered beneath the surface, and after that rather impressive kick, Natsu wasn't too keen to get hurt again.

So he'd dragged Happy out of the cave to scout the terrain once more before they made their descent.

'Girls' he muttered silently, staring out on the horizon. 'What a bunch of weirdos.'

His right hand snaked down to his pocket where Capricorn's key still resided, his thoughts carefully running over Lucy's prior words.

She knew she had to get to Fairy Tail.

And, she didn't seem at all surprised that he already knew about Fairy Tail as well, which was decidedly odd since he couldn't recall them ever talking about her mission to begin with.

And he only knew about that mission because of Capricorn and the girl's penchant for sleep-talking.

'Fairy Tail'

'Salamander'

The fire mage's grip tightened around the key in his pocket, where it sat next to the still cryptic letter, as his thoughts continued to ebb and flow, clarity eluding him for the moment.

* * *

Makarov Dreyer leaned languidly against the edge of the bar, nursing a rather impressive pint of beer as he surveyed the rambunctious behavior of Fairy Tail's guild members.

He noted that, despite his obvious penchant for beer, and the sizeable pint he held, Cana was swigging straight from a barrel, legs crossed and chestnut hair falling over her shoulder as she tilted her head back to swill the drink.

Gray Fullbuster had picked a fight-and lost his clothes (again)-with Elfman, the latter towering over the ice mage, spiked whit hair and natural glare adding to his imposing nature. Gray, to his credit though seemed unaffected by Elfman's taunting for him to get dressed and fight like a real man.

Makarov resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the display, hoping that only a few pieces of furniture would suffer in the ensuing battle between the two.

With a satisfied smirk, he noted how other guild members were hovering around the argument between Gray and Elfman, while others were perusing the request board or grabbing a bite to eat.

It was a pretty normal day for the guild, for his children, and that pleased the old man and guildmaster.

"Excuse me, Master?"

The short man, turned his attention to the smiling face of Mirajane Strauss-Elfman's older-must more beautiful-sister. The young woman's sapphire eyes were crinkled around the edges as she greeted her master with a bright smile, holding an envelope before her.

"This just came for you," She remarked, sweeping a long tendril of hair away from her face, "There's no return address though so I don't know who it's from."

With a halfhearted nod of his head, the master of Fairy Tail pulled the envelope from Mirajane's hand, noting-out of the corner of his eye-that she immediately returned to wiping the counter down, while fielding calls for Gray and Elfman to watch out for the new benches they'd just gotten in.

Begrudgingly setting aside his pint, Makarov peered at the letter, the scrawling words sparking a sense of familiarity in him, though he couldn't place why.

As Mirajane said, there was no return address. And so, with very little ceremony, the master tore open the envelope and hastily drew the letter from within.

Wizened eyes began to scan the missive, bearing the same scrawling writing. But, a few sentences into the letter, the man's mouth fell open in shock and horror, the color draining from his face.

A memory came rocketing to his mind, crystalline and panic-inducing.

Now he understood.

"Where's Natsu?!"


	4. Baggage

**Music:**

"I Found" By Amber Run

"I wandered lonely as a cloud"

"River Flows in You" (Alternate version)

* * *

**"The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting."-Milan Kundera**

**Chapter 4:** **Baggage**

He sat calmly upon the dais, watching the claret liquid in his glass swirl languidly around the crystalline goblet.

His thoughts were conflicted, though his outward appearance betrayed nothing. Yet the conflict was there nonetheless.

One the one hand, he wanted to follow the master, and wanted to ensure the success of the mission. On the other…

Carefully, pale fingers tenderly stroked the spine of the weathered book cover, memorizing every crevice and tear. He knew the visage of this book was deceptively old, deceptively weathered and beaten. But, in the book itself, it contained all power and life.

It contained all the answers they sought, all the power and resources they needed to finally complete their mission.

But the very desires he held to get the book opened, to finally understand its contents, to finish the task he was born to complete…

They were being set aside for the sake of the master's curiosity and the larger plan that only he could see. And it begged the question of whether or not the plan remained the same, whether or not the master still believed it possible to even open the book.

They'd let the girl go, let her escape-or at least that's what the master had said-and now, without that power and that link in their possession, it seemed as though the foothold they'd garnered thus far was being washed out from beneath them.

And he didn't know what to think, really.

Not that he'd admit that to anyone. Doubt signalled weakness and he was not a weak being. No, he was as committed as ever to his cause. But, he wondered if the rest were. And he wondered if he should blindly follow their master or...take things into his own hands to ensure their victory and the success of the plan.

A smile wormed its way onto his face.

Oh the suffering that would bring to the human race, if he were to interfere.

Once Lucy was certain that Natsu and Happy had retreated, did she hastily rip the remnants of her tattered and soiled shirt from her body and attempt to put the complicated vest on her person. She felt winded as she fumbled with the sleeves, her hasty movements causing her wounds to protest, nearly eliciting a groan of pain from her.

She was starting to see spots as she rushed to clasp the vest together, to cover her bare chest and bandaged wound from prying eyes.

'Those two are idiots' she thought a little dourly, the blush still lightly kissing her cheeks. 'They don't know that girls expect privacy?'

With a huff, Lucy straightened the collar and secured the last of the clasps before breathing a sigh of relief.

Gazing towards the entrance of the cave, she noted the brightness of the sky, signalling that they'd be reaching midday, if they hadn't already. That didn't leave them much time to get to Hargeon.

She didn't even know how far they were from Hargeon anyway.

"Right." The girl huffed and carefully tried to push herself to standing once more.

Again, her hands shook and her legs felt weak, but gone was the tingling in her feet nor the completely unsteady in her knees as they braced her weight and held her upright.

She had to blink a few times to steady herself and diffuse the lightheadedness she felt, but after a few moments of spots dancing before her eyes did Lucy feel confident to move forward.

She took a step, her muscles protesting after their disuse.

She took another step.

And then another, making her way slowly towards the entrance of the cave, and the sunlight that seemed warm and inviting to her senses. Despite her limited and slow movements and the way her joints protested, Lucy couldn't deny the fact that using her limbs felt good, and invigorating and seemed to lighten the burden she'd been feeling. The weight on her shoulders felt a little more manageable now as she inhaled the heady scent of damp earth and pine and basked in the sun's rays as she finally broke through the entrance of the cave and back into the untamed forest.

Even though she'd been unconscious for most of it, she knew that the cave itself was a bit oppressive in nature. Dark, foreboding, and filled with a stillness that set her on edge, Lucy was both grateful to the shelter she'd received in the cave, while at the same time, grateful to leave it as well. She felt a sort of uselessness there, a static sensation that didn't seem to appeal to her senses and she'd felt a longing to return to the waking world, though she wasn't completely certain why.

She simply knew that she had a purpose, a reason to keep moving forward. And that seemed to be enough to provoke her to shake off the prospect stillness and immovability.

The sky looked brighter than she remembered and Lucy squinted up at the cerulean expanse overhead, noting the grey tufts of clouds in the distance, signalling that a storm would be coming soon.

Gazing lower, the girl marvelled at the rolling hills dotted with large, looming trees, standing stalwart against the skyline. There were the soft chittering birds in the distance, their lark songs cutting the tension she still felt hanging in the air.

"Ah took ya long enough!"

Lucy jumped in surprise at Natsu's booming voice to her left and turned warily towards the fire wizard who stood with a broad smile and a twinkle in his eye. He quirked a brow as he observed her apparel, resisting the urge to snort at what the girl was wearing.

It was lighthearted to be sure, but Lucy couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious and slightly miffed at Natsu's flippant nature. He didn't seem to recognize or comprehend what it meant for Lucy to be wearing this getup in the first place. It's not like she chose it or anything.

"Hey Lucy you look like you're wearing a weird dress" Happy pipped, landing on Natsu's shoulder. The cat's eyes, too, sparkled in mirth at Lucy's appearance.

"It's not like I wanted to wear this thing," She quipped in reply, her voice low and annoyed, "Besides, shouldn't you laugh at Natsu, since it is his jacket to begin with? If it looks like a 'weird' dress on me, what does it look like on him then?"

"Well, duh, it looks like a jacket!" Happy retorted carelessly. "Besides. You're too scrawny and short to pull it off properly, so it looks kinda weird on you."

Lucy felt the heat rising on her cheeks as embarrassment ate at her self esteem just a little bit. She frowned at the cat.

"This comment is coming from the blue, flying cat" The retort came out of her mouth before she could think of the consequences.

Initially she felt a twinge of remorse, watching as Happy's eyes widened in surprise at her comment.

But then both the cat and the fire wizard broadened their grins and peered at one another before turning two cheeky smiles towards her.

"Oh she'll fit right in with us, eh?" Natsu remarked cheerfully, clapping his hands together.

"Aye!" Was Happy's reply as he smiled brightly at the girl who peered at the two in wonder and a little bit of frustration.

She was torn between feeling gratitude for their obvious attempts to lighten the mood, and the overwhelming urgency she could feel pulsing through her veins and thrumming behind whatever veil of forgetfulness that shrouded her thoughts and muddled her memories.

Fairy Tail.

Salamander

Two words that tingled and tickled at her senses and drew her thoughts towards the future, provoking her to take the steps towards the light, towards the open air, and to trust this absurdly strange fire mage and his cat sidekick.

And despite the brightness of the sky, the vibrancy of the green leaves and the cool gentle breeze that ruffled her hair, there was also the linger feeling of sorrow tinting her view, though she couldn't figure out why.

And that aggravated her the most, she supposed.

"Hey"

The girl drew herself back to attention, peering more closely at the fire mage and his cheery grin, only noting the subtle shift in his expression, where his eyes seemed a little sharper and more narrowed as he stared back at her.

He looked somewhat more thoughtful and serious, despite the grin, as the tone with which he addressed seemed a little strained as well.

What an odd contradiction.

"It's about a two mile hike to get towards the outskirts of Hargeon from here so we'll have to get going before too long" Natsu noted carefully, "Shouldn't take too long but it'd be best to get there before it gets dark and the...train stops running."

Lucy noted, again, how Natsu hesitated, his eyes narrowing further, consternation coloring his features for a moment before his expression cooled considerably as he peered down at the blonde girl. It seemed as though he were weighing something in his mind.

He let out a soft, low groan and shook his head before replacing his concerned expression with a more upbeat one.

A grin split his face once more and Lucy was left with a twinge of suspicion about the fire mage's actions. Though he'd never done anything yet to make her question his motivations for helping her, Lucy couldn't help the hesitancy from being around Natsu.

She could feel that he was hiding something, but she wasn't quite sure just yet.

"So, we best get a move on, if yer alright to move, eh?"

Lucy nodded her head lightly in agreement, steeling herself for the trek. She wasn't quite sure if the two mile journey would bode well for her, but the drive to press forward outweighed her hesitancy.

It would be worth it. If it led to Fairy Tail and answers and completing her mission, it would all be worth it.

"Alrighty then, hop on!"

The girl drew her eyes up once more to Natsu's grinning face, noting, with some surprise, that Natsu had turned his back to her, peering over his shoulder and gesturing with his hands in an upward motion. Lucy stared back at the pink haired wizard confusedly, quite confused by Natsu's behavior.

What did he mean by…?

Lucy's mouth fell open in surprise before her eyes widened in realization.

* * *

"No way."

Natsu watched in surprise as the girl's face blanched and he thought for a minute that she was going to faint.

Her brown eyes shone against the pale (if bruised) cheeks, as Lucy pursed her lips and took a step back from Natsu and Happy. Her face contorted to a look of discomfort as she half stumbled backwards, trying to put more distance between the two of them.

The fire mage didn't understand her hesitancy at first, curious as to why she was resisting his assistance again, seemingly unwilling to cooperate with his request.

Didn't she realize?

"You can't just walk there," he retorted, a bit flustered by her refusal. "For one thing, you can barely stand, don't think I haven't noticed. I'm not about to let you stumble down a mountain when you're that injured-even if you've started to recover."

"I'm not doing it" Lucy remarked lowly, eyes narrowing. The girl looked down right feral as the snapped at Natsu. "I already look and feel stupid. I don't need further humiliation."

Humiliation?

Natsu didn't understand her reaction.

How was this humiliating?

Didn't she know what it meant to rely on someone else, to support each other?

Natsu's thoughts slowed for a bit and he wondered if perhaps she didn't understand what it meant. Perhaps she'd forgotten?

"You can't walk by yourself" He remarked again, eyes narrowing at the glower that colored Lucy's features as she stared unabashedly back at him, her hands balled into fists. Natsu could see they slight tremors in her legs as she tried to stay still, standing tall and stalwart against him.

"We'll never make it if you do."

"I'm fine." Lucy's tone was clipped and low, a determination glittering in her chocolate orbs. "I'll be just fine."

Natsu let out an exasperated sigh and gestured again.

"Just hop up would ya? It'll go faster if you just listen."

"I'm fine to walk" the girl remarked again. "I can do it."

"You're injured-"

"I know that" Lucy cut in, gently folding her arms over her chest. Natsu resisted the urge to snigger again at the sight of the overly large sleeve swallowing the girl's arm and her unkempt hair. She looked far less intimidating than she realized.

"I'm fine to walk and I'll prove it. I can do this."

Lucy made to take a step forward, towards the farest edge of the small outcropping of stone which then sloped downward into the tree line. With a low exhale and a tentative step forward, Natsu had to commend the girl for her determination to stay upright and strong. The girl's steps were sure, determined and intentional.

That is until she stubbed her toe against an uneven portion of the small cliffside.

There was the unmistakable of flesh colliding with rock, and Natsu watched, with some remorse, as the girl's eyes widened in surprise and then contorted to pain (because, honestly, to Natsu this was one of the more painful injuries one could sustain) as hastily moved her foot back from the offensive rockface.

Of course, this movement triggered an imbalance in her stance and Natsu watched at the girl tipped back, hands shooting out to steady her stance, but because of her injuries, only managed to make her more of an awkward, wobbling creature who fell back without much fanfare but a great deal of flailing.

He couldn't fault Happy for laughing.

* * *

"I'll go."

It had taken several hours of tracking Natsu's whereabouts and poring over conversations with some of the guild members for Makarov and Mirajane to ascertain where it was that Natsu and Happy had darted off to.

Mira had recalled a letter that had come for the pink haired fire mage and the way that Natsu had torn open the letter, scanned its contents and darted out of the hall, Happy hot on his heels. She hadn't even had time to ask where he was going.

But apart from her immediate knowledge it took them talking to Nab and Reedus to get any hint of where Natsu had gone and why. Though, Natsu hadn't exactly confided in either Nab nor Reedus. Rather, they'd overheard his mutterings and filled in what information they could based off of that.

Needless to say it didn't help much, but did give them an idea of what are of Fiore the fire mage had headed.

Afterall, there were only so many things Natsu Dragneel was afraid of and a long train ride was definitely one of them. Naturally, when the mage groused about having to sit on a measly train for so many hours to travel to a port town near the mountains, that only left a few options for them to investigate.

Makarov was pleased with this reality. It meant they wouldn't be wasting time in finding their wayward guildmate (which was of utmost importance right now).

What surprised him, though, was who had volunteered to lead this endeavor. The guild master turned towards the furthest corner where said volunteer sat, arms crossed, a light scowl on his lips as he stared back at Makarov, completely unfazed and unafraid, nearly challenging the guild master to contradict or disagree with him.

He and Makarov both knew that it was the right decision, as much as the elder man hated to admit it. It never boded well when his children got too uppity and prideful.

But what was he to do here? He knew what had to happen. .

"So be it" the guild master muttered with a brief nod. They didn't have time to argue. They needed to find Natsu, _quickly_ , before everything crumbled before them.

* * *

Lucy resisted the urge to groan in frustration and embarrassment as she ducked her head away from the curious glances that the citizens of Hargeon had cast their way. She knew she looked a sight. And the blush on her cheeks due to their discreet-and not so discreet-stares wasn't helping.

It'd been a losing battle from the start and she'd known that. Lucy understood just how incapable she was right now, how unsteady her footing had been. But she'd been willing to try, willing to push past the inconveniences if it meant she could get to Fairy Tail and figure out what all of this meant.

But that blasted rock!

Lucy scowled at Natsu's back, boring holes into the intricately woven scarf he had wrapped about his neck as the fire mage ambled slowly through the outer streets of the city, carefully sidestepping shoppers, couples, and raucous children who giggled at the trio of them. The air was thick with conversations, and tantalizing smells from stalls that dotted corners. Fresh bread, pastries, meats, even a juice stand greeted them. And surrounding each stall were dozens of people, angling to get their order in and retrieve their delicious goods.

Even now and then, though, someone would turn to face Lucy and Natsu with wide eyes and a gaping mouth of surprise. There would be hushed whispers and a few sniggers angled towards them.

But, whether out of fear or suspicion, they were left well enough alone, though the predicament still agitated her and made her feel self conscious and wary of meeting anyone's gaze. No, Lucy simply wanted to shrink in on herself and completely disappear. She hated nosy people staring at her, especially when she could feel the weight of something sinister looming over her head, just waiting for the right time to fall.

If she could have, she would have tried to duck low into the crowds, become inconspicuous rather than ever being toted about on someone's back like a useless piece of luggage.

Initially, she'd not realized that she was barefoot with no hope of retrieving her wayward shoes, not until she'd stubbed her forsaken toe on the cliffside and ended up on her rear, a sniggering duo of cat and fire wielder in front of her, eyes alight with mirth as they watched her struggle to stay upright, to stay steady.

She'd already felt foolish enough in the coat Natsu had given her. Even more so when she'd attempted to run a hand through her unruly and-more than likely-dirty hair, only to find snarls and tangles only a strong brush could undo. But, with coat on-to cover her blood-stained and torn shirt, and hair smoothed as much as she was able, Lucy had hoped to salvage some shred of dignity as they made their way to Hargeon by walking of her own volition.

Turns out, it wasn't meant to be. At least not for her.

Though, to his credit, Natsu didn't seem too fussed with appearances and couldn't understand why she was so worked up about the whole ordeal.

'Who cares whatcha look like?' He'd muttered to her, brows furrowed as he searched her face. 'It's not like I'd let anyone harm ya anyway, right? Don't let what they think bother ya too much.'

All of that led to this moment, where peeking from behind Natsu, Lucy had a great vantage of the trail that angled towards the center of town and towards the larger crowds-vendors and shoppers-who would see her mussed hair, dirty face, and unusual outfit, and start asking questions. For a brief moment she'd entertained the thought of at least arguing against wearing the jacket, Natsu's own argument against him.

But, the stiff material, coated in her blood and torn to reveal her midriff, had her balking at the argument altogether.

There was a difference between people judging her because she was wearing goofy clothes and then judging her circumstances and interfering with her life because they suspected Natsu or someone else might have harmed her. They'd start asking questions and possibly get embroiled into this mess she found herself in.

Lucy didn't want that. Natsu knew this too, it seemed. So, even though people might ask some questions, the less blood they saw the better.

At least that's what Natsu seemed to hope would happen.

And so here she sat, being toted about on Natsu's back, the fire mage's stiff fingers cradling just under her knees, his breathing even, even after his hasty march down the mountain at a blindingly fast pace that had Lucy clinging to the young man's shoulders anxiously ducking her head into his shoulder so she hadn't had to watch the trees blurring past. The entire trip down the mountain, he'd hardly seemed affected by Lucy's presence at all, the only indication he was even aware of her position on his back were the infrequent questions he asked, his voice rumbling through her chest as he spoke.

"What is your mother's name?"

His query caught Lucy off guard and brought her back to the present. They had lapsed into a long silence once they'd broken the treeline and she'd found herself completely absorbed in her thoughts.

That question had brought her back, and tuned her thoughts towards the fire mage whose pink hair struck a soft contrast to the late afternoon sunset.

To Lucy's dismay, she didn't know how to answer the question.

A pang of shame and longing filled her and she tried to conjure a name, produce something. But where she knew her mother's name might be, Lucy was met with a void of emptiness and missing memories. Where those memories ought to be, though, there was silence, her mind devoid of concrete thoughts or words or names. She felt...stuck trying to scratch at the dark veil that shrouded her.

"I don't know…" she finally mustered halfheartedly, feeling the cold sting of her own words as she cast her eyes towards the looming buildings and the bridge that overlooked the lower docks and shipyard of the port town, watching the golden, peach, and pinks of the sunset shimmer across the calm water. There was a soft flutter of wind that smelled of salt and sea.

"I can't-I don't recall."

"I'm sorry" Natsu remarked lowly, "I'm not tryin' ta make you feel bad. I just want to see if we can jog your memory, figure out why ya need to get to Fairy Tail and all that."

Lucy nodded in silence for a moment, her thoughts a mish mash of what ifs and what might be. She wanted answers as much as she didn't want to know what had happened and who her mother was because deep down she knew it was a memory or a realization that might be painful. She could feel the thick sludge of dread that had settled in her belly, making her stomach roil uncomfortably.

And the further they traipsed into town, the more that dread grew. Something niggled behind the veil of forgetfulness, a warning that she wanted to remember.

But Natsu had also said…

"Tell me about your father," She remarked softly, "Maybe knowing more about him could help?"

She certainly hoped so.

"That's a good idea," He remarked slowing his pace and carefully angling his way through the crowded market. The trio-the fire mage carrying the injured girl with the cat flying overhead-earned several curious and surprised glances, though no one had dared to approach them. At least not yet.

"Not much to tell though." He remarked, grunting as he wedged his way through the crowd, obviously trying not to jostle the girl too much. "He found me wandering in the woods when I was little and took me and raised me. He's really the only father I've known."

Lucy felt her heart constrict at the image of a smaller Natsu wandering alone in the woods without parents to look after him.

"So, he's your step father?"

The fire mage nodded absently. "I suppose technically, but I don't consider him as anything but my real father, ya know?"

Natsu stopped after a man elbowed the young man in the stomach, and let out a groan of annoyance. It seemed that no matter what he did, too many people pressed the Natsu back, halting his progress through the center of town and the shops.

"Let me down," The girl mumbled, "I can walk from here."

"No."

Natsu's response was firm, as he tightened his grip on her girl's legs. "That's a stupid idea. You'll either be incapable of walking or the stupid crowd will drag you back and we'll be separated. It's too risky."

The man let out another growl of annoyance and whipped his head to the left and right, seeming to search the sea of faces before turning his gaze upward.

"Oi Happy, ya think you can find another route to the train?"

"Aye sir!"

Lucy, too, peered upward in time to see the blue cat sail away, a cheery smile alight on his face.

"We'll have to go around," He muttered, starting to back up. "Too many people. We'll have to find another route, a back street maybe."

Lucy tightened her grip on the young man's shoulders at the sudden shift in movement as it made her feel unsteady.

She needed a distraction.

"So, your dad took you in and…?"

She peeked over Natsu's shoulder and caught the curious glance of a dark haired man, bearing a blue cloak, that matched his cobalt hair, and a smirk on his face as he raised a brow at her.

The intensity of the man's stare made Lucy feel uncomfortable. She swallowed back the anxiety and willed her heart to stop hammering so forcefully in her chest. .

"He trained me," Natsu's chest rumbled as he replied to her query. His voice brought Lucy's attention back from the unnaturally attentive man's leering stare as Natsu continued to amble back the way they'd come, through the crowd, trying to dodge the bustling towns people that seemed to surround them on every side even as late afternoon was beginning to settle into dusk.

"He's the one that taught me dragon slayer magic."

"You slay dragons?" The question seemed stupid, but Lucy couldn't recall ever hearing anyone called a dragon slayer before. She knew there were different types of magic wielders, but nothing was ringing a bell when it came to understanding what a dragon slayer was.

"Not exactly," He remarked quietly. "I mean that's what dragon slayer magic was originally for, but he taught it to me sort of as a way to pass on his heritage ya know?"

So it was a family magic?

A thought struck Lucy, an image of a grassy field and a blonde haired woman turned away from Lucy, though the girl knew she was smiling. And ahead of the two there a silhouette surrounded by glistening starlight, casting a glow that made it hard for the girl to decipher just who was standing before her.

"Hey watch it!"

Lucy was rocked to the side as Natsu stumbled away from a rather large woman, decked out in a lavish green dress and fur wrap, oversized hat who bustled past the fire mage, ramming her elbows outward as she swung her hips, forcing the crowded street goes to separate and create a path for. As she passed the pair, she sent a scowl towards Lucy, her glittering diamond earrings swinging from her side to side as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air.

"Filthy urchins," She groused as she sauntered past, "Dirty, disgusting creatures."

"Now just a minute!" Natsu growled in reply, "I said ya need ta watch it! You're not the only one walkin' the streets lady."

Lucy could feel the way Natsu's shoulders tensed at the woman's careless behavior. He didn't seem too keen on being mistreated in such a way, especially after he'd tried so hard to carefully make his way through the crowds without overly inconveniencing anyone.

"The last time I checked," The woman didn't even bother to turn back towards the duo as she raised her left hand upward, inspecting her nails and the massive bauble of a ring that resided on her ring finger. "Filthy little nobodies, with little food and no lodging-judging by your appearance-and all your extra...baggage to carry around" At that comment, the woman cast a condescending glare towards Lucy who stared back unabashedly, her own annoyance bubbling at the assertion, "ought not to open their mouths to their superiors."

With that, the woman sniffed and returned to marching through the street and towards the over-crowded town center, leaving the townspeople nearest to Lucy and Natsu to peer between the fire mage and the overdressed snob of a woman. Lucy hazarded a glance around her and noted that more than a few eyes were fixated on her, obviously assessing her appearance now that they were actually paying more attention to the pair. A low murmur of voice filtered through the crowd, whispers that were too low for the girl to decipher though she suspected what they were referring to.

"We need to get out of here." Natsu's voice was low as he continued to move back towards the outskirts of town and the quieter streets. "They're starting to talk. Shouldn't have said anything, dammit."

It seemed that Natsu was talking more to himself at that point, though Lucy noted the way he peeked back at the girl briefly, studying her face before resuming his march.

Thankfully no one followed after them.

"Now you were askin' about my dad, Igneel." Natsu remarked offhandedly, trying to change the subject though Lucy could still sense the annoyance and anger in his tone and tense movement. "He taught me dragon slayer magic which is older than a lot of other magic styles and it's not just for 'slaying dragons' ya know, but more fore reinforcing your body to withstand hard attacks and then let you wield certain elements depending on the type of slayer magic you learn."

They finally managed to pull from the crowds and back towards the lower, poorer neighborhoods, where the buildings were a little more run down, quieter, and calmer. It had been much quicker leaving than entering the town square, for which Lucy was grateful.

Natsu let out a breath of relief at the change, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly as he turned left, down a wide alleyway, where a row of houses lined the cobblestone street. Small flower boxes adorned windows and a stray cat darted from behind a crate and hopped up on a window sill.

"Fire slayer magic is yours then?" Lucy remarked quietly, not daring to lift her voice and disturb the sudden peace they found themselves marching through.

Natsu had picked up his speed a little.

"Yeah. I'm a fire dragon slayer. I've got lungs like a dragon and can breathe fire and all that. It's actually pretty cool!"

There was a tick of joy in his timbre and tone and Lucy got the distinct impression that Natsu was genuinely proud of what he'd learned from Igneel, and what his father had done for him.

It made sense to her, then, why he was so eager to figure out how she knew Igneel, though Lucy couldn't recall the man's name at all.

"What happened to cause your separation?" She hazarded the question, knowing that it might make him as uncomfortable as his had made her.

Natsu abruptly stopped walking in the middle of the street, his head tilted towards the ground face completely obscured from Lucy's gaze.

"I don't know."

There was a deep pain in his short response and Lucy felt guilt immediately.

"I'm sorry." she remarked softly.

"Not your fault," Natsu cleared his throat and straightened, "Don't know what happened when Makarov found me. Don't know where Igneel went, but I know that he didn't mean to leave me. And that's why I have to find him."

The fire mage sucked in a large breath and squared his shoulders and continued forward.

"That's why I need to figure out why your scent is so familiar and why it reminds me of Igneel. And that necklace too. Gotta figure that one out."

The girl shook her head lightly and cast her eyes downward, towards the paved streets of the port city, noting the well worm walkway and manicured streets. Even in the poorer sections, the city was remarkably clean.

The cleanliness of the city couldn't derail the reality that Natsu's thoughts were as flustered as her own and it begged the question of how they were connected.

It seemed too coincidental, too timely to be an accident that they'd met when they'd did.

"Natsu, I see the train station!" Happy's voice lifted the girl's gaze upward towards the sky where the blue cat languidly fluttered in the sky having returned from his scouting mission, his movements still slow and jerky after their brush with danger. "But we'll have to go around the eastern part of the city to get to it, if we're goin' to avoid the crowds."

"Aye!" Natsu remarked a bit morosely as he hastened his pace, "The sooner we can get to the train, the better, e-eh?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the fire mage's unruly pink hair, sensing the hesitation in his voice. Clearly something bothered him about the train. But what?

* * *

He smirked before bowing the the woman before him, senses alight with the prospect of a large haul tonight. They'd already snared so many tantalizing treats...

What a fruitful evening this would be, he was certain.

"The ship is ready when you are," The woman simpered at him, "I'm so happy to lend my services to you whenever you might need."

"And what of the girls?" He remarked, "how many do you expect we'll...retrieve?"

"Oh at least a dozen!" The woman crowed as the man lifted his head to peer at her, noting how her chin wobbled and her jewelry jangled when she spoke. "Most are already in the town square but a few...stragglers we'll have to reel in. "

The man's interest was piqued by the sudden shift in the women's tone. He locked gazes with the lady's beady blue orbs and quirked a brow in questioning.

"Oh?" He remarked softly, "Do tell. Would it be that blonde minx I saw earlier? A little banged up perhaps, but that makes the job easier now doesn't it."

"The urchin," The woman wrinkled her nose disdainfully, "Yes indeed it is the same one. But, there's much more to her story and you'll find it well worth your while I'm certain."

There was an air of allurement and enticement in the woman's tone as she preened and grinned towards the man who raised a brow at the woman's remark.

The man's smile grew, "More to the story, eh? Indeed? And worth my while?"

The woman nodded once, flipping her hair lightly over her shoulder, letting her rich earrings catch the light through her movements.

The man's grin took a much more malicious turn as he bared his teeth and clapped his hands together. "Well then, I'm all ears."

* * *

The whistle of the train rang in Natsu's ears and he tried to refrain from wincing at the sound, his stomach already beginning to roll uncomfortably at the prospect of boarding the forsaken metal deathtrap.

He felt Lucy shift behind him, leaning forward, her breath ghosting his ear as she strained to see in the fading light of the afternoon.

"The train!" She whispered, her fingers tensing on his shoulders. Natsu could sense the hesitation in her movements, and noted the way the girl's heart fluttered in a furious beat against his back.

She seemed afraid of what might be waiting for her there, and Natsu couldn't blame her really. After what he witnessed her go through on the mountainside, he was certain she had a great deal to fear.

The reality of that set him on edge as well.

The whistle sounded again as a large train clacked down the track, metal rolling against metal, grating together in an unpleasant sound to Natsu's sensitive ears. If he were honest, he hated the train, and not just because of the nausea it induced. No, there was something offensive to him about the massive metal machine careening down the tracks. It was much more pleasant to walk, at least by his estimation, to smell the fresh air and have room to stretch out and breathe deeply.

He preferred to travel at his own pace.

"We'll have to hurry, Natsu, if we're going to make the last train of the night" Happy's voice was urgent overhead and the distracted dragon slayer peered up at his friend, noting the resigned look on the feline's face.

Even Happy was wary about the train it seemed, though not for the same reason Natsu was (of that he was certain).

"Aye" he remarked hastening forward, towards the ticket stall, "The sooner we get to Fairy Tail, the better."

As he reached the large wooden steps that lead towards the ticket counter, Natsu passed by a flurry of tittering girls, who giggled and chatted as they hastened past Natsu, Lucy, and Happy, their voices a mish mash of conversation.

"Did you hear that he was here today?"

"I can't believe he came here of all places! We never see someone as famous as him here!"

"I hear that he-"

"They say he's so handsome! I wonder if he'll demonstrate any of his magic for us!"

"Did you hear about his exploits in-"

"Could you imagine if he-"

"I can't believe Salamander is here!"

Natsu froze at the comment, unconcerned by the fact that he was now blocking the flow of patrons at the ticket counter, unlike he'd been in their attempts to make it through the town square earlier. No, despite the fact that he was not drawing attention to the trio of them, and eliciting some unhappy grunts of annoyance from some of the crowd behind him, his mind was more engaged with the comment that hung heavy in the air.

Salamander.

They'd mentioned a Salamander.

"Natsu, did you hear that?!" Happy had come to perch atop his head angling his face down towards his friend, eyes shining in curiosity and confusion. "They mentioned Salamander!"

"I know," Natsu's reply was quiet as he contemplated what to do now. On the one hand there was the prospect of getting to Fairy Tail as soon as possible.

But…

He couldn't deny the trill of electricity that coursed through his veins and tingling in his fingertips. The very idea that he could be here, that he might actually be in the same town as Natsu once more...it was overwhelming in many ways.

But…

He'd made a promise that he'd look at after Lucy-

"They said Salamander?"

The fire mage jerked his head upwards and cast a gaze over the shoulder where Lucy had leaned forward, meeting his curious gaze with one of her own.

"That name is important," the girl remarked softly, brows scrunching in concentration, "I know it is...somehow. We have to...I think we'll need to investigate."

The girl's comment caught the young man off guard. He'd expected that she'd be more than eager to leave Hargeon and make it to Fairy Tail, to talk to Makarov and sort some of these issues out. But, the title of Salamander had caught her attention-much as it had caught his-and he understood her willingness to investigate. He knew, as well as she did, that the name Salamander held a connection to Lucy's memories. Initially, Natsu had supposed it had had something to do with him, but the more he thought of it, and the more the name Salamander fluttered through the growing crowd of excited women, he wondered if he'd been wrong and if...just maybe if…

Natsu nodded and finally stepped out of the queue for tickets and towards a bench about fifty feet away.

Maybe it meant Igneel was here after all.

'Follow the Silverbird'

That phrase played over in his mind.

'Follow the silverbird'. Maybe it'd lead her to Igneel. Hadn't that been the promise? Hadn't the letter said that he'd be able to find Igneel?

Maybe…

He slowly lowered Lucy onto a nearby bench, noting that Happy had perched himself on a branch that hung overhead. The pink-haired man turned towards Lucy, noting how wide her eyes had gone as she stared back at him.

"That name."

He nodded at her comment, his lips pursed into a thin line as he weighed their options.

It could be anyone, really. Did they want to waste the train on a search that might turn out the be nothing but a hoax?

Though, given everything they'd been through lately, Natsu wasn't so sure that this was merely a coincidence, and that this Salamander wasn't somehow connected to Lucy...and himself.

"We have to investigate." To his surprise, Lucy was the one to break the silence and declare a new plan. Natsu studied the girl's face briefly, noting how her cheeks looked pinched, eyes narrower than normal. She was obviously weighing their options, much as he had, though he wondered if she'd have more success. He couldn't come to a decided course of action.

Lucy nodded, her head lifted and peering past Natsu towards the crowds of people that were still chattering about the Salamander's presence in the sleepy port town.

"I have to know if I know him, if he's the one who…" The girl trailed off, biting her lip as she furrowed her brows, a contemplative aura encasing her.

A large 'boom' erupted around them, startling both Happy and Natsu who jumped and peered around anxiously. Lucy, too, looked wary, hazarding a glance around, her knuckles going white as she curled her fingers around her knees.

Another boom erupted.

The crowds that had been milling to and from the train station had stopped. Many citizens had gasped in surprise and delight, turning their faces upwards, towards the darkening sky and the vibrant display of color and spark.

* * *

Fireworks.

Someone was lighting fireworks. Brilliant oranges, blues, and golds cascaded and fell around the people, reminding Lucy of falling stars and fireflies.

Lucy sucked in a breath of surprise as she was struck by a familiar sensation, familiar images.

Grey stonework, and a long hallway where golden sunlight filtered through floor to ceiling windows,and onto the lush crimson carpet. She knew, though she couldn't look to her left, that someone walked with her and had walked with her on numerous occasions.

'You know it'll be difficult without them,' The voice was soft and kind, but she could hear the worry in the person's tone. 'I don't want to see you fall into harm because of it. Though I suppose we'll have trust that you'll recognize Salamander when you meet.'

She remembered a hand on her shoulder, a gentle squeeze of comfort.

When she blinked though, the images had faded, returning to the shadowing recesses of her fogged memory.

She wasn't sure what bothered her more, the fact that she couldn't see the face in the memory, to recall the voice that struck such a familiar chord within her; or the fact that these images answered absolutely nothing for her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Natsu's voice was closer than it had been a moment before. Lucy looked towards the fire mage, her eyes widening in surprise as he had leaned close to her, their noses almost touching.

Another colorful display of cascading light surrounded them, alighting Natsu's face in a cheerful golden glow.

Lucy nodded to Natsu's question and leaned away.

She didn't know how to explain to him what she'd just seen, especially since it didn't even make sense to her yet.

"We need to find this Salamander," She remarked in reply to Natsu's question, "I have to know."

She did have to know. She needed to see if this person would jog her memory, if she really would recognize the Salamander she was seeking without any assistance.

It was important.

"Alright then," Natsu's voice was soft as he cast the girl a smile.

The train whistled in the background, as the fire mage extended his hand towards her.

"Let's go find him then, eh?"

"Aye" Happy's voice trilled from the tree as he turned his attention from the brilliant light display overhead and back down to the pair on the bench.

There was a growing screech of the train rolling slowly down the tracks as it skirted out of town, sans the fire mage and girl who were seeking passage to Magnolia and Fairy Tail.

Lucy reached forward and wrapped her fingers around the proffered hand, the Natsu carefully hoisting the girl to her feet, his other hand coming to rest at her waist to steady any missteps she might take.

"I'll even let you walk this time," He noted offhandedly, tone mirthful even as his eyes remained hard and assessing.

He knew she wasn't telling him everything.

"No need to seek me out, my dears, for I have come to all of you lovely ladies!"

The girl balked in surprise at the new voice, a deep masculine timbre that elicited more than one simpering sigh from the growing crowd that had stopped to admire the light display.

"Salamander!"

The girls tittered excitedly as the man with the midnight blue hair grinned brightly at them, perched atop a glittern flame trail, his cape fluttering about him as he moved from side to side.

Lucy could see the rings on the man's fingers and the bangles around his wrists as he threw his head back and laughed lightly.

The outfit didn't matter near as much as the sudden pang of anxiety that resurged in her stomach as she recalled the town square and the man who had stared quite brazenly at her, watching as she and Natsu had tried to make their way through the center of the city and towards the train. Now here he was, in all his fussy dress and smirking, creating a spectacle.

To her surprise-though she really shouldn't have been so surprised really-the floating mage locked eyes with her, shining sparkling white teeth as he smiled down on the blonde.

"And a special hello to you, Lucy Heartfilia," He remarked cheerfully, his eyes taking on a darker look. "I've heard so much about you."

* * *

"Shit."

Natsu didn't have much time to react as the blast of firepower moved from the man's fingertips and careened straight for them.

He had enough time to push Lucy back, towards the ground-hoping the force of his move wouldn't cause further injury-and tried to block the blast with one of his own.

The move, however, proved to be a mistake as another blast pushed towards him.

"Prominence typhoon!"

This blow was leveled at the dragon slayer's feet and he didn't have a chance to block the blow.

He hadn't been concerned with the fire as much as he was with the push back he'd experience from the connection. And, for good reason too, for as he was knocked backwards, Natsu's back collided with the firm metal bars and rivets. He crashed through glass and landed, unceremoniously on his backside, the wind knocked clean from him.

Worse, though was the nausea that immediately knotted his stomach and halted any movement he might make to rise to his feet and off the god-forsaken train that had been slowly ambling down the track as screams of surprise and shock erupted around him.

"Shit" He groaned out again.


	5. Nauseating

* * *

**Chapter 5: Nauseating**

He felt a ripple of panic wash over him, startling him from the menial tasks he’d been doing as a means of distraction.

It appeared, though, that they hadn’t worked.

Fingers poised above the game board slipped, losing their grip on the small figurine he’d been holding as his eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the sensation he’d felt. 

It’d been familiar, agonizingly so. 

Such familiarity made him straighten a little, ignoring his partner as he concentrated even more on the thread that tugged at him, the connection that bound him.

There was an even firmer tremble of panic laced with pain and he was starting upwards, the game forgotten as he cast the board aside in his haste to retreat. 

‘Oh no.’ 

He beat against the connection with his own power, flexing his fingers agitatedly as he strode further from the others, further into the recesses of the hall and into a small alcove that afforded him a small reprieve from prying eyes. 

Another shot of panic filled him and he knew there was a problem. 

And he wanted to curse at his own inferiority in reaching through the threaded connection and past the barrier that held him back. 

It infuriated him. 

And worried him. 

* * *

She sat still, unmoving and unwilling to blink . There was a ringing in her ears, muffling the frantic voices she knew were escaping the frantic mouths of the crowd that surrounded them. Out of the corner of her eye she spied many an onlooker trying to dark backwards, away from the smouldering ticket stand and overhanging tree. 

The greatest shock, though, had been watching Natsu blasted backwards and into the retreating train, hearing his groan of pain and watching the look of abject horror marr his features as he was thrust back. 

He’d not expected the assault until it was too late to dodge it. 

“Now if you please, Miss Heartfilia, I’d like to get going before it gets too late in the day.” 

The man’s voice was simpering, his smile predatory as he peered down at the haggard girl. The light breeze gently tickled the cloud of smoke towards her irritated nose, making the girl resist the urge to sneeze. 

After watching Natsu’s rather impromptu and worrisome disappearance, and hearing Happy’s exclamation of worry, Lucy knew they were in danger. What confused her, and piqued at her curiosity at the same time, however, was how this man knew her. More importantly, she wanted to know why he wanted her to come with him. If this were the Salamander everyone had been chattering about…

Why was he so aggressive towards her? If he knew her, why would he act as though…

As though he wasn’t going to ensure that she was aware of who he was before he attempted to assist her? 

If he was trying to assist her at all. 

Lucy frowned at the man before her, no spark of familiarity alighting her mind, only a trickle of worry coursing down her spine at the rather predatory gaze he directed towards her. 

He reminded her of Jackal with that feral look. 

“Lucy, we have to get out of here,” Happy’s frantic voice reverberated in her ear, making the girl start in surprise at the flying blue cat that still hovered close by. “We have to get to Natsu. He...he can’t handle the train and this guy is seriously creepy.” 

Somehow the girl knew she’d be incapable of escaping, even if she were to try. With her still wobbly footing and bare feet, she wouldn’t make it far. 

And judging by the look in the wizard’s eyes, she knew he wasn’t about to let her get away either. 

But if he was Salamander…

She wondered what it might benefit her to follow his request. 

Still though, a warning bell was ringing in the back of her mind and she knew it was important to heed that warning. 

But how could she do this? 

“Happy,” She remarked softly, “Go and get Natsu. I’ll try to buy us some time.” 

“Are you nuts?!” Happy remarked heatedly, his tone matching his surprise and frustration towards the girl, “You can’t outrun him and he seems pretty determined to--” 

“Just go,Happy,” Lucy retorted, cutting off the cat, her voice hard, trying to get the feline to understand. 

She never broke her eye contact with the other wizard, who seemed to be growing more annoyed at Lucy’s lack of action and acceptance of his commands. 

“I-I can’t just...If Natsu...he would be…” The cat was babbling at the girl, his thoughts incoherent and jumbled together. 

Lucy felt a small twinge of guilt for putting the cat in this situation. But...

The girl briefly broke eye contact with her would-be assailant to level a hard look towards the worried blue cat and watched as the feline’s gaze shifted from utter confusion to a look of acceptance and understanding. 

“Go,” She murmured, “and hurry.” 

“Aye sir,” He finally whispered, before darting towards the moving train and Natsu, barely escaping the wave of fire that the Salamander sent his way. 

Lucy could feel the warmth from the flames as they flew over her head and the girl ducked down out of reflex to avoid her hair getting singed. 

But none managed to hit Happy, who soared out of sight at an impressive speed. 

The man only laughed at her reaction to the flames and Lucy turned to glare at Salamander, watching the way his dark hair swayed as he flicked his head back in amusement. 

“Seems to be a rescue party for your dear companion, eh?” he remarked cheerfully, taking a step towards the immobile girl. “I’ll admit that the blue bother is a bit faster than I anticipated. And you’re a bit more clever than we gave you credit for.” 

The man’s dark books clicked against the concrete as he made his way through the dispersing crowd and the smouldering flames, ever closer to Lucy, eyes locked on hers, never straying from peering condescendingly down at her. 

Lucy still couldn’t pinpoint if she knew the man, but she  _ knew  _ that look. And she knew this was going to hurt. 

* * *

There was a searing pain in his back that he tried desperately to ignore as his stomach roiled and sloshed. 

Natsu could smell the smouldering word and hear the grating of metal against metal as the train chugged down the tracks, never ceasing despite the fact that he had crash landed through the topmost portion of the front of the contraption. 

Around him, through the haze of nausea and smoke, there were voice yelling frantically. 

‘Fire!’ 

Of course there was fire. 

It was a pity, though, that Natsu couldn’t reach it. The dragon slayer let out a shuddering breath as he flexed his fingers and tried to push himself up, a string of expletives living on his lips as he did so. 

His arms were shaking as the world shifted and tilted, colors blending together--a side effect of the nausea and the sudden assault he’d been subjected to. 

All of the physical ailments he suffered did nothing to distract from the mental frustration he felt at the situation and the fact that as soon as he’d made a promise to help someone, it all went downhill and he’d been thrown down and out of the situation entirely. 

Lucy was alone and defenseless against whomever that man had been. 

Sure as hell hadn’t been  _ Salamander  _ that he (nor Lucy) had probably been looking for. It certainly wasn’t Igneel. 

And he doubted that man was from Fairy Tail. He’d certainly never seen him before (though part of him wondered if Lucy did recognize him, or had any affiliation with him). 

But now? 

Now he was determined to find the idiot and tear him limb from limb. 

His stomach dropped to his toes, his meager lunch threatening to rise to his mouth, as the train lurched. 

Yes, he was going to tear that man limb from limb...If he could just get off this god-forsaken train! 

Time seemed to drag on, each jostle of the train pushing uncomfortable tendrils of nausea through his stomach. 

Dammit. 

Natsu dug his nails into the floor as he slowly dragged himself to his knees, sweat pouring from his brow as he struggled to stay upright, struggling to keep his arms from shaking as he continued to push upward, staggering to his feet. 

It was a monstrous effort and the young man felt winded by the sheer force of will it took to get that far. Still, though, the nausea persisted, his stomach sloshing uncomfortably, making him feel both lightheaded and sweaty at the same time. 

He was never riding one of these again if he could help it. 

“Natsu!” 

Said fire dragon slayer stumbled back in surprise, falling to his rump as a rather diminutive blue cat launched himself though the jagged opening of the top of the train and straight into Natsu’s lap.

The young man let out a small noise, somewhere between a whine and a groan, and slammed his eyes shut, willing the vomit to abate, forcing it back down as Happy buried his head into Natsu’s arm, cries of discontent and worry falling from his lips. 

“I’m glad I found you before the train got too far. I was worried!” 

The young slayer’s vision tunneled, dimming slightly as the train continued to sway. 

He hated trains. 

He really hated trains. 

But, with Happy here, that would (hopefully) be remedied soon. 

Though, even as Happy climbed out of Natsu’s lap and made his way to the young man’s shoulders, grasping the fabric of his vest, to hoist him in the air, the young man’s thoughts returned to another problem. 

He sucked in a lungful of crisp, clean air, letting the freedom from the moving train break the fog that had settled on his mind. He sucked in another lungful. And then another, puffing out his chest and filling his nostrils. 

Drowsily, he turned his head back towards Happy who had a deep frown on his face, eyes locked on their destination. 

“Happy,” Natsu cleared his throat a little, trying to ease the roughness that tickled his vocal cords. “Lucy--” 

“We have to hurry Natsu,” Happy cut in curtly, his frown deepening. “She’s an idiot and decided to send me after you instead of staying with her. She was...that man doesn’t seem like a good guy and he wasn’t going to let Lucy get away. We have to hurry.” 

The slayer blinked owlishly, letting the words settle in his ears as his brain caught up to what Happy was saying. 

And his own frown deepened, the anger he felt rising to overcome the nausea that has been coiled in his belly previously. 

To hell with this day. 

* * *

It wasn’t hard to convince Lucy to follow after them. Or, rather, it wasn’t too difficult to overpower the girl and drag her with them. 

Though, in fairness, the girl didn’t know much of the trek and where they’d ended up since she’d been knocked unconscious and woken up only a few moments ago to find herself lying upon a cushy couch, in a well lit study that highlighted the deep mahogany wood that adorned the walls and lintels. 

The soft rocking sensation she felt signaled to the girl--even through her splitting headache--that they were no longer on land. 

She’d been brought to a boat. 

Of course she had. 

“You know, those are some nasty injuries,” The man’s voice drew her attention to the window where he stood, back turned from her, peering out into the darkness. “Shame that someone so beautiful came to such harm.” 

He turned and flashed her a winning smile. It made Lucy’s stomach drop. She slowly lifted herself into a sitting position, the thin blanket falling to the ground as a warmth rose to her cheeks at the obvious invasion of privacy. 

Salamander or no, the man was creepy. 

Lucy tensed as the man approached, flicking the clasp on his cloak to disentangle himself from it as he sauntered towards her. The thick blue fabric pooled on the floor, leaving the man clad in dark pants and a pristine white shirt. He smiled again at her and Lucy drew her hands into tight fists as she straightened, ignoring the way her body protested the tense movements. 

She was ready to bolt if she had to, weakened legs or no. 

“Now now, don’t be so hasty my dear, I mean you no harm.” The man sat across from her, flicking one leg up and over his other knee as he rested his chin in a hand and leaned against one of the armrests.

Lucy was properly confused at this point. She had sneaking suspicion that this man dealt in less than honorable dealings. But, judging by the look in his eyes, there was a bit more to the story than that. 

“Don’t give me that look, darling,” he remarked softly, his teeth proudly on display as he smiled down on her. “I must protect my cargo and ensure your safe return. Otherwise, I would never be rewarded for it.” 

Reward. 

That word struck Lucy funny, as though she’d heard this comment before. 

But…

She didn’t think it had to do with Jackal or Larcade. She knew enough of their personalities to know that they wouldn’t be bribing others to find her. No, they were too efficient and violent for that. 

They’d employ more gruesome methods. 

So, who then?

The man, to his credit, didn’t let much slip after that. Instead, he only sat there, grinning at her like she was some prized fish. 

It made her uncomfortable. And though she was loathe to engage in any further association with the man, she needed answers. She needed to know why he was called Salamander and who he was working with. 

“How did you find me?” The question seemed a bit odd to her at first, but it spilled from her lips before she could register why she’d asked it. 

Nevertheless, she spied the way the man stiffened lightly before he picked up the slender glass of wine before him. 

He eyed her over the rim of the glass. 

“Would you care for a drink?” he was stalling at her question, that much she could feel, and it only served to heighten her anxiety further. 

The man quirked his head to the side, his face going thoughtful as he poured a drink for her into a second wine flute. 

“You don’t trust me,” He remarked candidly, “I can see it in your eyes.” 

He gestured for her to take the drink. 

Lucy refused it. 

The man frowned at her hands folded in her lap before he took a larger sip from the class he’d tried to offer her. 

To his credit, the gesture made her feel marginally better, knowing that he was drinking the proffered beverage. However, the way the man’s eyes sparkled seemed off. There was a calculating darkness to his gaze that had Lucy wary. 

Perhaps he wasn’t the Salamander she was looking for. 

Or…

Lucy’s mouth fell open at the sudden spark of a thought and she narrowed her eyes at the man who seemed completely unruffled by anything that might come his way. 

He smiled cheekily at the girl. 

“I see you’ve had a thought” He remarked quietly, his voice overly bright, “That’s not the best time for them I’m afraid.”

This roused her suspicions further and Lucy felt a ringing in the back of her mind that she was onto something. Something that was bigger than the name ‘Salamander’ though it held importance. Just...not in the original way she’d been thinking. 

She thought, anyway. 

“You’re not Salamander are you.” 

It wasn’t really a question, more an accusation. And judging by the way in which the man’s eyes darkened further at her interrogation, she knew she was right. 

‘Idiot’ she thought a bit dourly to herself. ‘He couldn’t be the one I was looking for.’ 

And yet…

The man had the good graces to laugh quietly, though his reaction was no less cruel as he set the drink down and slowly stood. 

“You’re a handful aren’t you?” he queried, his tone shifting to something darker, “Always asking questions, seeking answers and figuring out ruses. You know, they warned me about you.” 

He laughed again as he stood in front of her, towering over the girl. 

“I didn’t believe them at first,” he remarked lightly, leaning closer, “Didn’t think you were that smart. I guess I was wrong.” 

There was a weird taste in her mouth and a buzzing behind her eyes as she stared up at the man who sneered at her. 

The world had taken on a warmer hue, softened and muted in many respects as the girl breathed in the heady scent of the sea air and the rich wood in the cabin that surrounded her. 

Warning bells were sounding in her ears however, and Lucy knew, even as she felt the tension slipping from her shoulders, that something wasn’t right about this sensation. 

It felt foreign and too forced to be natural. She didn’t feel like she was in control of herself anymore. And though her mind seemed to want to fight against whatever enchantment or power the man used against her, it was a difficult process. 

‘Think Lucy.’ her mind chanted, ‘Think of a way to break this. You have to fight back.’ 

But how? 

“It’s alright. You’re going to be fine until we make port. Promise.” 

Even though her vision seemed to be waning in and out, the man’s face distorting each time she blinked, his voice rang clearly in her ears. It almost sounded soothing, comforting in a way. 

But still, beneath that there was something far darker, fouler, and more selfish.

Lucy frowned as she concentrated on the feeling that brewed beneath the surface, rebelling against the pull of complete trust she supposed she ought to have felt towards the man. 

It was that feeling that finally tethered her firmly back into reality and Lucy jerked back to alertness with a violent jolt. 

The man had been leaning over her, attempting to secure a rope around her ankles when colors and his face finally came back into focus. 

Outraged and a bit horrified at the position she found herself in, Lucy thrust her legs hard into the man’s stomach before she let her fist ram into the offender’s nose. 

She bit back a hiss of pain at the contact her hand made, but reveled in the satisfying ‘crunch’ of the man’s nose from the force of the blow she delivered. 

With all the force she could muster, the girl thrust the man away from her and bolted to her feet, kicking the unsecured rope away from her ankles as she went. However, in her haste and with adrenaline pumping through her veins, she forgot how unsteady and sore she still way. 

Lucy easily toppled to the floor as the man swore at her, eyes watering as he held his nose. The girl noted the languid dripping of blood down the man’s chin. 

“You’re going to regret that” he snarled, eyes narrowing in fury as he turned towards her, hoisting himself to his feet. “I have to bring you back alive, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun on the way. Daddy dearest will probably understand.” 

Lucy tensed at the way the man’s eyes glinted. Her heart dropped to her stomach at the mention of her father.

She didn’t know why. 


	6. A break

I know it's been quiet here for a bit but I thought I'd place a note here to just say that I've had to take a step back from this fic for various reasons, not least of all because of the emotions tied to it. I was writing this when my dad died and it's been impossible for me to approach it without those overwhelming feelings erupting. At least right now. 

I have a chapter I am working on with it but it's taken a backseat because I'm having a hard time just working through the feelings. But I promise to continue this fic in the near future. I just need a little time. 

In the interim I am working on other things to keep me writing so just know that I fully intend to come back to this, hopefully soon


End file.
